Street Wars
by BansheeCat
Summary: **Chapter 11 up** I may regret posting this; I'm not entirely sure it's ready. If anyone was wondering why Quip was such a jerk in my newer one (I doubt anyone was), maybe it'll make more sense now...
1. Author's Note

Disclaimer/Author's Note/General Junk:

This story is rated R for most everything.  Please note that this story is JSRF, not JGR, though I'm using the old names for the characters.  If I accidentally used a name, idea, etc. that someone else made up, I am very sorry.  I assure you it was unintentional.  If it's offensive, tell me and I'll change the name or something.

Character copyrights (these give away characters if you haven't read the story):

Tab [Corn], Yoyo, Gum, Garam, Mew, Combo, Beat, Cube, Poison Jam, the Love Shockers, and all locations (except Ayame Street) mentioned in this story are copyrighted to Sega, Smilebit, and all those good people; though the names given to the Love Shockers and to Poison Jam are mine.

The Romantic Energies (Black Rose, Blue Flame, Snap, Star, and Hand) and Wax belong to the Quiet Soul, and are used with permission.

The PGs (Prissy Girls) belong to Nellie, and are also used with permission, as far as I know.

Dark Storm (Tip, Cat, Spark, and Speed), Blade, Petal, Pulse, Ellipse, and Glitch are copyrighted to me, BansheeCat.

Ayame Street and the HGs kind of belong to all three of us, the Quiet Soul, Nellie, and myself.  The BGs belong to TQS and me.

Oh, and if anyone actually reads this thing, please review it to remind me that yes, I am indeed alive.  If you hate it, tell me so.

A map of Ayame Street (or rather, a map showing what it connects to):

                             Hikage Street       Shibuya Terminal               Dogenzaka Hill

                                                          **Ayame Street**

                       Rokkaku-Dai Heights      GGs' Garage           99th Street


	2. Fun in the Tokyo Underground!

Tab winced as a heavy skate connected with his stomach.  He wasn't going to be able to hang on much longer.

_What was I thinking?_ he wondered.

He never should have tried to find his way through the sewers.  He hadn't been careful enough in the Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility, and somehow he had taken a wrong turn… and ended up in Bottom Point.  Poison Jam's turf.

Poison Jam was a rollerskating, graffiti-spraying gang of bruisers who ruled the sewers, making their home in Bottom Point.  They were huge, with grotesque masks and blue monster costumes, and were feared throughout the area.  It was common knowledge that Poison Jam didn't like guests, and very few were foolish enough to travel through Bottom Point alone.

But Tab had had little choice.

After realizing where he was, he had been skating toward what he knew to be the exit of Bottom Point when Poison Jam had showed up and surrounded him.  Being a rather small kid anyway, Tab couldn't put up much of a fight against the monsters that had captured him.

Poison Jam had dragged him to a walkway suspended over a river of sewer water.  He was currently lying with his back to the metal railing, the safest position he could find at the moment.  Blood was smeared on the walkway beneath him, all, of course, his own.  He had lost sight in his left eye (temporarily, he hoped) and he was losing feeling in his right shoulder… which was a blessing in comparison to the pain in his ribs.  He was sure something was broken, he just didn't know what.  And in a few minutes, it wouldn't matter either way.

The apparent leader, the one the others called Shred, lifted Tab effortlessly by the front of his bloodied shirt.  "Okay, kid.  Ya got five seconds to explain to us what you're doin' trespassing here.  Everyone knows Bottom Point here is Poison Jam's turf!"

Tab wasn't sure he could speak, and he didn't much care to try.  It wouldn't make any difference in the last few minutes of his life, anyway.  His fingers curled around the fists that held him in the air as he tried to keep from choking.

"Three… two…"

"He ain't gonna say anything," another of the monsters, Scrap, pointed out.

Shred released Tab.  As gravity dictated, he fell straight down, his bruised body making painful contact with the rail… sending him toward the sewer water.  He closed his eyes as he went, breathing a silent, grateful prayer.  His skate, however, caught on the rail, leaving him dangling with his face inches away from the sewer water.  If he fell in, he was dead: not only could he not swim, the weight of his skates would pull him under in mere seconds.

Poison Jam was laughing.  "Lucky kid," commented the third, whose name was Shard.  "What're the chances of that?"

"Don't matter," Shred snapped.  "We'll get him this time."  He was lumbering toward Tab when a voice halted him dead in his step.

"What do ya think you're doing?"

Tab heard all three members of Poison Jam turn toward the voice.  Though he could see nothing, he was confused by the fact that the voice was distinctly feminine.

"How many times do I have to tell you, you morons?" the voice continued.  "When you find an actual person, I want 'em brought straight to me!  Now pull him up!"

Scrap moved to obey.  Tab continued to listen as Shred argued feebly, "But he was trespassin' and we—"

"I don't care!  I've told ya before, I'm not telling you again!"

Tab nearly cried out as he was pulled up, his foot twisting as it was freed from the rail.  Scrap shoved him to the ground, from where he looked up at the apparent leader of the gang, relieved that vision was returning to his injured eye.

It was a girl, dressed completely in black: black hair, a black shirt that was perhaps a bit smaller than it should have been, and black pants that were perhaps a bit tighter than they should have been.  Black skates with a red design were on her feet, blue lipstick covered her lips, and she had two tattoos, one on her upper left arm and one on her exposed stomach.

The girl seemed to be looking Tab over as well.  Finally she said, "I'm sorry for the way my friends here treated you.  My name's Cube.  I'm the leader of Poison Jam.  What's your name, kid?"

"Let me go," Tab managed to say, glancing up at the monsters on either side of him, "and I might consider tellin' ya."

"Fair enough," Cube answered.  She motioned to Scrap and Shard, and they stepped away to join Shred.  Tab tried unsuccessfully to stand.

"So…" Cube began, watching in amusement as Tab grabbed the rail and pulled himself up.  "Are ya gonna tell me your name?"

Tab was wondering how long he'd be able to stand.  "Depends… is there any reasonable alternative?"

Cube smiled.  "Only if ya like swimming and aren't affected by toxic waste."

"I suppose you can call me Tab, then," Tab muttered, trying to decide whether he had the strength to run.

"Tab."  Cube considered the word.  "Well, then, Tab, would you mind telling me what you're doing on my turf?"

"I didn't realize it was yours," Tab said, a slow, spiteful grin crossing his face.  "To be honest, I thought all this graffiti here was just some fool's idea of a nice paint job.  I was never informed that it belonged to the great and mighty… what was your name again?"

Cube's eyes narrowed and her pale face flushed with anger.  Turning to her three underlings, she brought her right hand up and made a slashing motion across her throat.  As she skated off, she told Tab without turning, "You ain't gonna live to regret that, kid."

Tab looked around for an escape route, but Scrap and Shard had quickly moved in front of the two exits, leaving Shred to deal with Tab.  Tab closed his eyes, slid back down against the rail, and crossed his arms over his face.

"Yo, Cube!"

The sudden shout was so startling that Cube, on her way out, nearly tripped.  The three Poison Jam monsters froze in place.  Tab lowered his arms and opened his eyes.  All five people present looked around for the owner of the new voice.  They did not have to wait for long.

A girl skated into the small room from the corridor Cube had intended to leave through.  Cube backed up, trying to get behind one of her underlings, but she wasn't quick enough; soon two more girls had entered the room, surrounding the leader of Poison Jam.

Tab stared at the newcomers.  All three wore the same outfit: black jeans, dark purple sleeveless shirts with a bright yellow lightning bolt seeming to split down the front, black-and-yellow skates, and black lipstick.  Each had a different style to their collectively black hair: one wore it in a half-ponytail just past her shoulders, one wore it in a long braid past her knees, and the third wore it loose and short, not quite to her shoulders.  The one who seemed to be the leader, the one with the half-ponytail, stepped forward and addressed Cube.

"What are you doing to that kid?" she demanded.

"He insulted me," Cube returned, "and he's paying the price for it."

"You haven't got any right to do that," the girl pointed out.

"Get to the point," the girl with the braid said impatiently.

Poison Jam stood motionless, unsure of what to do.  Tab had been slipping further and further into sleep throughout the unfriendly conversation, and finally he gave up and lost consciousness altogether.

"Very well," the leader of the new gang said.  "Cube, if you can't come up with a good reason for attacking that kid, why don't you take a shot at explaining why you can't stay on your own turf."

"Kibogaoka is mine," Cube insisted.

"If you want it, Cube," the short-haired girl taunted, "ya gotta come and take it straight from us, face-to-face, like the woman you wish you were."

At this the three monsters started forward, but Cube halted them with a raised hand, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment and anger.

"Is that a challenge?" she demanded, her voice lower than usual.

"I dare say it is," confirmed the girl with the braid.

"Name your contest," Cube told them, the anger in her voice changing to confidence.

"A race," the leader replied readily.  "On the conditions that one of us'll race you around Bottom Point.  The other two of us, as well as your three goons, will stay right here and wait.  If you win, Kibogaoka's all yours.  If we win, you stay outta our turf as well as allow us safe passage through the Sewage Facility.  And," she glanced over at the unconscious Tab, "the kid there goes free."  Her gaze returned to her rival.  "The stakes are high, Cube.  Think you're up to it?"

"You're gonna regret this, Tip," Cube growled.

"Possibly," Tip admitted, her voice steady.  "But I doubt it."

"You're on," Cube snapped.  "Which of you dares to challenge me?"

The girl with the braid stepped forward.  "Can I do this one, Tip?"

Tip shrugged.  "Fine with me, if you're sure you actually want to help a _guy_.  What do you think, Spark?"

The short-haired girl, Spark, smiled.  "Cat's never lost at a race," she pointed out.

Cat said nothing and blushed.

"We're depending on you," Tip informed her.  "I'll call 'go,' if no one cares.  Get ready… get set…"

Cat leaned forward, making sure not to let her skates slide.  Beside her, Cube had taken a runner's position.

"Go!"

Both girls took off, Cat taking an early lead when Cube bumped into the rail as she tried to grind on it.  Spark watched until they turned the corner, taking to the sharp, dangerous twists and turns of the pipes.  Once they had disappeared from sight, she turned to Tip, but her friend seemed to be gone.

Tip waved from her place by Tab's side.  "Over here, Spark," she called, and Spark skated over to join her.

"Dude, they beat him up pretty good.  Is he gonna be okay?" Spark asked, sitting back on her heels.

Tip shrugged.  "He's got a fairly steady pulse, but I think he's got a broken rib or two.  Though it's not like I know the first thing 'bout this kind of stuff."  She looked curiously at the bruised face of this strange boy, running her hand through his blonde hair, which stuck out from under his hat.  "I don't think I've ever seen him before… do you?"

Spark shook her head.  "I sure wonder where he's from, and where he was going…  and why he came through here."

"It must've been important for him to come through Bottom Point," Tip thought out loud.  "Especially alone.  Everyone knows how dangerous it is."

"You'd think so," Spark agreed.  "How do ya figure Cat's doing?"

"Same as always, I'm sure," Tip replied.  "I just hope she hurries and doesn't joke around…  We need to get this kid out of here as soon as possible."


	3. Another Rescue

(A/N: There is a character in this story, appearing first in this "scene," who bears the name of Speed.  Speed was also the name of a character in a few works by Jessi a.k.a. Crash, in which this Speed was female and had several other different qualities. The character Speed in this story is in no way related to Jessi's Speed. All right, then, on with the story…)

Blaze was immensely displeased.

That boy was in Hikage Street again, her enemies had been hanging around her turf, and her makeup just would not look right.  On top of all that, she was getting a horrible headache, but that was probably a result of her other problems.

The boy, at least, was taken care of for the moment.  Blaze and her two friends, Blare and Flare, had found him asleep in one of the dead ends of the giant maze that was Hikage Street, the home of the Love Shockers.

Now the annoying boy was sitting in front of her, arms tied behind his back and the back and front wheels of his skates tied together.  He was fully conscious and, at the moment, uninjured, but Blaze had plans to change that soon.

Speed glared up at the girl in front of him, long strands of black hair escaping his ponytail and hanging in his eyes.  He hated this helpless feeling, hated being at the nonexistent mercy of the Love Shockers.  They had warned him numerous times to stay out of their turf, but he had of course ignored them.  Now they had caught him off-guard, and, though he despised himself for it, Speed had to admit that he was a bit afraid of what they might do to him.  He tried to push away the unwelcome possibilities that crept into his thoughts.

"Tell ya what," he suggested, addressing the one that seemed to be the leader.  "How 'bout you let me go now, and I'll leave here and never come back?"

"I've got a better idea," Blaze told him, her face showing no emotion.  "How 'bout we kill you now, and you'll be gone and never come back?"

"I like my idea better," Speed muttered.

"Do we have to kill him?" Blare piped up.  "Right away, I mean?"

"Yes," Blaze snapped.  She nodded at Speed.  "He's a tricky one.  We let him go before, remember?"  Looking down at her captive, she gave him a cruel smile.  "You should've left while ya had the chance, kid."

Blaze gripped a paint can in her right hand.  "I don't particularly enjoy this, you know.  Not most of the time.  But you… ya just had to come back." She drew the paint can up over her shoulder, aiming for Speed's head.

"Aw, man…"  Knowing what was about to happen, Speed closed his eyes to escape the picture.

He didn't need to.

*          *          *

(A/N: This scene, as well as some following it, contains characters from "The Romantic Energies," a JSRF fic by the Quiet Soul. They kind of jump in quickly, so it might be hard to understand. If you haven't yet, read "The Romantic Energies" it's a good read anyway and maybe this will make more sense.)

"What?" Black Rose asked.  A concerned look filled her black eyes as she stared at her friend.  "Are you serious?"

Blue Flame nodded.  "That's what Star told me."

"The Love Shockers caught someone?" Hand asked, coming up from the behind Black Rose, who was sitting on the rail.  His arm slipped around her shoulders, and she leaned back into it.

"Yeah," Blue Flame confirmed.  "Star says it's some guy who's not even part of a gang… and we all know what they do to guys they catch alone."

Black Rose looked away.  Hand pretended he hadn't heard.

"See.  I don't know what he did, but I think they're gonna kill him… at some point in time, at least.  If he's lucky and they're in a good mood."

Hand coughed uncomfortably.  "Uh, I think I'll be leaving."

"Wait," Black Rose said, catching Hand by the shoulder of his long-sleeved green shirt.  She looked at Blue Flame.  "When was this?"

Blue Flame shrugged.  "A couple minutes ago.  Why?"

"I think we should go check it out.  Maybe we can help, or at least see what this kid's doing in Hikage.  This's our home, too.  He might be trouble, and he might deserve whatever those Love Shockers have planned for him, but we should at least find out."

"No one deserves what the Love Shockers…" Hand began.

"So you agree."  Black Rose kissed him on the cheek.  "Great."

"I'll go," Blue Flame decided.  "I might as well."

"Hey, Blue Flame, where're Snap and Star?"

Blue Flame rolled her blue eyes.  "I don't know where Star is now, probably still spying on the Love Shockers.  As for Snap, I'm just glad he stopped following me around."

"What?"  Snap was coming up the steps to the small group.  "Are you talking about me, Blue Flame?"

Blue Flame closed her eyes and tried to pretend she was somewhere else.

"There he is," Black Rose pointed out helpfully.  "Snap, where's Star?"

"How should I know?" Snap replied, not seeming to care much.

"I can look for her," Blue Flame volunteered.

Snap looked disappointed for a moment, then brightened and said, "I'll help!"

"On second thought…" Blue Flame began, but Black Rose cut her off.

"Perfect.  You two go find her, then we'll go see the Love Shockers.  We owe 'em a visit anyway."

Blue Flame shot her friend a dirty look and mouthed a couple of equally dirty words, but Black Rose just smiled.  "Have fun."

"What's this about the Love Shockers?" Snap asked Blue Flame as she skated off, him just behind her.

"I wonder if they'll make a trade," she mused to herself, jumping on the rail and grinding toward the bottom.

"Hey, wait, Blue Flame!" Snap called, trying to follow her but tripping and ending up in a slow grind.  "I can show you my new back move!"

Black Rose sighed as she watched them go.  "If he mentions that move one more time, I swear…"

Hand shrugged.  He hadn't seen Snap's new back move, and didn't want to.  "So, what do ya think?  About that kid, I mean."

Black Rose turned to look at him.  "I don't know, but I plan to find out.  If we can get rid of the Love Shockers, then we'll see for ourselves.  I just don't trust the Love Shockers' judgment on what 'punishment' he deserves for trespassing."

"Neither do I," Hand agreed.  "But I guess we'll see."

*          *          *

Cat's skates slid softly along the bottom of the sewer pipe.  She was still in the lead, and planned to stay that way.  She thought of Tip and Spark, of her home in Kibogaoka, of that strange kid Poison Jam had intended to kill.  She knew she had to win… it would just be a good bit harder than she had thought.

Cube was faster than she had anticipated, though still not as fast as Cat.  Cat knew she could beat Cube in a fair race, but she didn't trust Poison Jam's leader to play fair.

As if on cue, something hard and heavy struck her in the back of the head.

"What in the—?!"

Cat fell to her knees and placed both her hands on the ground, the world around her spiraling uncontrollably.  She closed her eyes and then she knew.

A paint can.  Cube had thrown a paint can at her, and hit her target right on the mark.  Cat winced as her fingers found where the edge of the can had hit, at the base of her skull.  She pulled her hand away and looked at it, her vision clearing somewhat.  It was red and sticky.

_Blood,_ she realized.

Cat took a deep breath as Cube went past her, laughing.

"Hit your head on something, did ya?  What a pity.  See you at the finish line… or maybe when you're packing to go find yourself a new home."

*          *          *

Tip was shaking her head.  "I got a bad feeling about this."

Spark looked up.  "About what?"

"Cat.  Cube's gonna cheat, I know it.  I hope Cat doesn't get hurt.  But if Cube does cheat, it'll be her word against ours, and I don't think the three of us can take that freak show," she nodded at Poison Jam, "plus Cube.  And if Cat's hurt, well…"

"It's too late to do anything now," Spark pointed out.  "We just gotta wait and hope Cat pulls through."

*          *          *

"Star!" Blue Flame called nervously.  "Are you here?"

"Shhh," came the reply.  "Over here.  Quiet."

"What's going on?" Blue Flame asked as she slid down behind some garbage cans next to her friend.  Snap, realizing that there was no room for him next to Blue Flame, sat down behind the two.

Star pointed upwards, toward the giant staircase that occupied a huge, otherwise open area in western Hikage.  "Look for yourself."

Blue Flame inhaled softly.  Star was right; the Love Shockers had someone.

"I can't see who it is," Star was saying.  "I don't think I've ever seen him before… does he look familiar to you?"

"No.  Are they gonna kill him, do ya think?" Blue Flame asked.

"How should I know, and why do you care?  It's a _guy_, Blue Flame.  One less to fall all over you, huh?"

"But, I don't even know who he is yet…"

"Whatever.  Where are Black Rose and Hand?" Star inquired.

"We left them back at the garage.  We don't have time to get them," Blue Flame noted.  "That kid's not gonna last that long."

"What's that about us?" Black Rose asked as she skated up behind them, Hand at her heels.

The three friends jumped, then turned.  Blue Flame breathed a sigh of relief.  "What're you guys doing here?"

"We checked around our side of Hikage, but we figured you guys'd end up over here," Hand explained.  "I mean, this is the so-called Love Shockers' side."

"Good thing.  We wouldn't have had time to get you," Blue Flame told them.  "Look for yourselves."

Black Rose and Hand obeyed, gasping at the sight.  "Let's go," Black Rose decided after a moment of silence.  "We might not be too late."  She and Hand took off in the lead, followed by Blue Flame, Snap and Star.

*          *          *

Speed woke up with the nauseating feeling that his feet weren't touching the ground.  Opening his eyes, he discovered that he was very much correct.

He looked down at his skates, now untied, dangling high in the air, much too far away from the ground.  He tried to move, testing the ropes that held his wrists to the rails.  They were easily too strong for him, though he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.  Nevertheless, he wrapped his fingers around the metal bars and held on so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Female laughter could be heard above him, followed by a voice saying, "Well, girls, looks like he woke up."

Looking up, Speed saw what he expected to see: the three Love Shockers, grinning down at him.  "Having fun down there?" the leader taunted.

He did not answer, instead looking down at the ground and trying to calculate the chances that he would survive the fall.  The wind blew his hair in front of his face, and he was annoyed by the fact that the Love Shockers had freed it from his ponytail.

Blaze smiled at his silence.  "Would you like to try and beg for mercy, or do ya just want us to kill you?"

"Is there any chance I can get you to spare my life?" Speed asked, not in the least expecting an honest answer.

"I don't know… depends how far you're willing to go, I guess," she replied.  "Why do you ask?"

Speed flinched.  "I'd prefer you kill me…  I don't think I'd go nearly far enough for you."

"Too bad," Blaze said, sounding disappointed.  "Come on, girls.  He gave us his answer."  Pulling a pocketknife out of her skate, she reached toward the ropes.

"Hey!"

Standing quickly, Blaze let out a string of curses.  Speed looked in the direction of her gaze.  Five or so people were grinding up the rails on either side of the stairs, coming closer by the moment to the Love Shockers.

"Time to split, girls."  Blaze reached back down and, in a single motion, cut both the ropes.

Speed's fingers tightened around the rail bars, though he knew he could not hold himself up for very long.  As the Love Shockers made their escape, Blare turned and kicked Speed's right hand as hard as she could.  The pain made him let go, leaving him hanging by one hand.  The Love Shocker laughed, blew him a kiss, and skated off to join her fleeing friends.

It was then that Speed made the rather foolish mistake of looking down.  He wasn't normally afraid of heights, but the idea of falling that far was making him sick.   He glanced around for the gang who had chased off the Love Shockers, but they did not appear to be anywhere in sight.

Speed closed his eyes, feeling his fingers slip farther down.  He caught a slight glimpse of the ropes hitting the ground far below and shut his eyes again, wishing he'd never opened them.  The wind blew more harshly, and his hair obscured any view he might have had.  He muttered a vague, generic prayer.

His fingers were slipping.  A few more seconds…

And someone grabbed his wrist.

"Hang on," a male voice encouraged, as another hand covered the first and the two pulled him upwards to apparent safety.

Speed grabbed the rail with his other hand as soon as he could, trying to see his rescuers.  There were two there at the moment, a girl and a boy.  The girl had long black hair in a ponytail and was dressed in black and grey, with long grey gloves.  The boy had fairly short light-brown hair and was wearing forest green and black.  Both were looking at Speed with interest.

Speed, for his part, pulled himself up as far as he could, swinging his body forward over the rail.  He landed hard on his back between his two rescuers and backed up, resting against the rail bars as the other three members of the gang arrived and stopped to catch their breath.

Speed was breathing hard as well.  When he was pretty sure he could speak, he asked, "Who're you?"

The girl and the boy looked at each other for a moment, then the girl spoke.  "My name's Black Rose.  This's Hand."  She indicated the other three.  "That's Blue Flame, Star, and Snap.  We're the Romantic Energies.  Who are you?"

For a moment Speed said nothing, and Black Rose wondered if he was going to answer her.  Finally he responded, "My name's Speed.  Why'd you…"  His voice faded into nonexistence, as though he couldn't find the right words.

"Help you?  'Cause we hate the Love Shockers," Black Rose told him.  "What'd you do to make 'em want to kill you?"

He shrugged.  "I was messing around here.  Why do you hate them?"

Hand made a sound suspiciously like a snort.  "Hikage Street's our turf, and they keep fighting us for it.  But what're you doing here?"

"Pretty much just annoying the Love Shockers.  I didn't even know there were any other gangs here."  He looked from Black Rose to Hand, then back to Black Rose.  "Can I go, or are ya not finished?"

Black Rose and Hand traded glances again.  He seemed harmless…

Blue Flame, who had been watching the exchange along with Snap and Star, spoke up.  "I think we should let him go."

Black Rose turned to look at her.  "What?"

"We should let him go," Blue Flame repeated.

Speed stared at Blue Flame.  He didn't know why she was helping him, and he didn't really care.  He had things to do…

Black Rose looked back at Speed.  "If we let you go, where're you going?"

He laughed shortly.  "Not sure, but I'll get out of Hikage, I guess."

Black Rose stared down at him, wondering who he really was, and what he was doing.  She looked to Hand for help.

He shrugged.  "I don't see why we shouldn't let him go."

Black Rose sighed.  This wasn't a position she wanted to be in.  She didn't particularly _not_ want to let Speed go, but she didn't want to endanger her gang by doing so.  "You can go," she conceded, "but don't come back here."

Speed almost smiled.  "Sure."  He pulled himself up and faced Black Rose and Hand.  "And thanks."

The Romantic Energies watched as he skated off, an image of shadow with his completely-black clothing and hair.  He had gone twenty feet when he stopped and turned around.

"Hey," he called, "ya don't happen to know a girl named Spark, do ya?"

Black Rose looked at Blue Flame, then at Hand, then at Star.  She didn't bother to look at Snap; he was staring at Blue Flame.  All three of them shrugged.

"No," she called back.  "Why do you ask?"

He turned back and continued on.  "No reason," he called over his shoulder as he jumped on the rail and started grinding down, loose black hair flying behind him.

Standing with her friends, Blue Flame sighed.  "Now I really wish they would've traded," she whispered to herself.


	4. Losers Weepers... and Other Confusion

Cat was slowing down.

Every movement of her feet made her head throb, and her vision hadn't completely cleared.  Cube was a few feet in front of her, and Cat had a horrible desire to return her rival's favor.

But she didn't.

_It's not right,_ she scolded herself.  _Besides, if you're as good as you think you are, you can still win this._

If only Cube would make a single mistake…

Cat skated as hard as she could.  They were much more than halfway back to the starting point, and if Cube got any further ahead, Cat had no chance of winning.

In front of Cat and to her right, Cube laughed.  "I see you recovered from your little accident."

Cat bit her lip to keep her words in.  After a moment of silence she replied simply, "I see you realized ya can't win a fair race with me."

"What?" Cube demanded, feigning offense.  Neither of the girls had lessened their speed in the least, though Cube kept glancing back at Cat.  "Just 'cause _you_ injured yourself, you're calling _me_ a cheater?"

"And a liar," Cat replied.  "I thought ya had more honor than that, Cube."

"And I," Cube sniffed, "thought you had enough sense to not hit yourself in the back of the head with a paint can.  Ya gotta be pretty clumsy to do that, I'd think."

Cat was watching Cube, noting that while she talked she was leaning to the right.  Looking up ahead, Cat saw that they would be entering a section of pipes.  As quickly and casually as she could, she said, "But of course, you'd have to be just as clumsy to 'accidentally' hit someone else with your own paint can, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, definitely, but who's ever done that?"

"You have, I believe."  Cat stared ahead, then glanced at the direction Cube was going.  _Perfect!_  "'Bye, Cube."

"What?" Cube asked, her air of superiority disappearing.  She looked forward and let out a dismayed cry, braking hard as her skates slid off the edge of the half-pipe.  She caught the small orange pipe nearby as she fell, yelling, "Cat, wait!"

Cat paused for a moment as she finished grinding on the pipe, turning to look at Cube, who hung helplessly on the other side.  "Hang on, Cube," she called.  "When I make it to the finish line, I'll send your friends after you!"  Smiling, she turned and skated off, her head feeling much better.

Cube's scream of hatred, fury and defeat followed Cat back to the finish.

*          *          *

Spark was tapping the back wheel of her skate anxiously against the rail bar.  "Where is she, Tip?  She should be here by now…"

Tip sighed.  "I don't know.  She'll be here soon," she said, not quite sure her words were true.  She glanced down at Tab, who was still very unconscious.  _We need to get him out of here, now…_ she thought desperately.

A sudden scream echoed down the sewer half-pipe, making the five waiting people jump.  Tip tried to decide if it had belonged to Cat or Cube.  She had never heard a sound like that from Cat, but she didn't spend much time with Cube… not anymore, at least…

Spark skated to the pipe that the racers would have to come through.  "I see her!" she exclaimed.

Scrap peered over her shoulder.  Spark was startled that he did not push her aside, but she felt no need to complain.

Cat slowed as she reached the end of the half-pipe, staggering a bit.  As she passed through the small room that was serving as the finish line, she dropped to her knees, even as Tip breathed a sigh of relief.

"Cat!  Are you hurt?" Spark asked concernedly, kneeling next to her friend.  She saw the blood in Cat's hair.  "What happened?"

Cat sat back on her heels and sighed, putting a tentative hand to her injury.  "It doesn't matter.  We won."  She glanced up at the rather confused Poison Jam.  "Oh, yeah.  I promised Cube I'd tell you guys," she informed them, "that she might want your help.  She fell on the pipes back there a ways, but when I left she was hangin' on all right."  She breathed deeply as Poison Jam skated off in a hurry.  "Come on, guys, let's get out of here."

Spark helped Cat stand, Cat trying to push her away.  "Are you gonna be okay?" Tip asked her.

Cat rolled her eyes and scowled.  "I'll be fine.  Save your worrying for that kid there."

Tip chewed her lower lip thoughtfully.  "Yeah… how're we gonna get him out of here?"

"I can carry him," Cat offered.

"No."  Tip shook her head.  "You focus on staying on your feet for now.  I'll carry him."  Looking down at Tab, she tried to decide the best way to make good on her statement.  With a shrug, she put one arm around his back and wrapped the other around his knees, lifting him slowly.  He groaned, but did not wake.

"Careful," Cat warned.  "It looks like he's got a broken rib or something."

"I will be," Tip promised.  She nodded toward the closest exit.  "Let's go."  She started forward, Cat and Spark following her back to their home in Kibogaoka Hill.

*          *          *

Speed was skating through the Shibuya Terminal, trying to get his thoughts together.  He was still a bit confused as to why the Romantic Energies had rescued him, but even more confusing was the fact that they had let him go.  After all, if they were telling the truth, Hikage was their turf as well, and he had been trespassing… but that hadn't seemed to bother them.  He shrugged to himself, directing his thoughts to more important issues…

He had to find his sister.

Two and a half years ago, Spark had left their foster home in Dogenzaka Hill, telling her older brother that she wanted adventure.  She had invited him to come along with her and one of her friends, but he had refused.  Now he regretted that decision and had been searching for Spark for the past several months, without luck.  He had been through Chuo Street and Hikage Street as well as Dogenzaka; but he was beginning to realize, to his dismay, that Spark had gone to (or through) either 99th Street or Rokkaku-Dai Heights, both rather dangerous places… places he did not want his little sister to be in.

A loud, painful noise startled Speed out of his trance.  Looking around and listening, he followed the continuous sound to find a street band.

_A street band?_  He repeated the thought to himself.  A street band…

Speed stared at the small group.  There were five or six of them, each with an instrument in hand.  People walking past them covered their ears and moved faster.  Parents pulled their children far away.

Speed, unsure if he wanted to laugh or run, guessed they were a jazz band, by the bits of actual music that found their way through the terrible trombone playing.  He winced as the group got louder.  Passing people tossed money at them and yelled for the pain to stop, but they played obliviously on.

Not quite knowing why, Speed sat down on a nearby bench, returning his hair to its traditional ponytail as he listened.  Jazz music was his personal favorite, but he was mystified at the skill distribution.  The trumpet player sounded pretty good, and the baritone player wasn't bad, but the trombone, tuba, saxophone and percussion were all a disgrace to the world of music.

Catching himself, Speed stood up.  He had more important things to do than sit and critique a pathetic musical group.  Now he had to decide whether to first head to 99th Street or try Rokkaku-Dai and the sewers.  On impulse, he skated toward the street band, passing by them to Rokkaku-Dai.  He didn't think Spark was the type to go to the sewers, but then he had never thought of her as the type to leave home in search of danger and adventure, either.  His sister had a way of puzzling him… but he had to try to figure her out if he ever wanted to see her again.

*          *          *

Tip collapsed to the floor, sliding into a sitting position next to Spark.  "You'd never think a little guy like that could be so heavy," she muttered.

"Come on, Tip," Cat laughed from her spot in the corner.  She was holding a petite black kitten she had named Half, who was purring loudly as Cat stroked his fur.  "He probably weighs less than you do."

Spark shivered.  "It's a good thing we got him in here before it got too cold and dark out.  That couldn't have been good for him."

"No, it couldn't," Cat agreed.  She stood up, handing the complaining Half to Spark and skating over to Tab, who had been carefully laid on the lopsided, sagging couch.  She looked at him for a moment, felt his wrist, and sat down next to the couch.  "His pulse is pretty steady.  I think he'll be all right for now.  He'll just need some sleep."  She grinned, looking around at the roomful of her pets.  "I hope he's not allergic to cats."

As if he had been called, Half jumped down from Spark's shoulder where he had been perched, sauntered over to the couch, and jumped up on its single remaining arm.  He looked down at Tab, sniffed, and mewed.

"Aw, how cute," Spark couldn't help but say.

Cat rolled her eyes.  "Sure, Spark."  She watched with interest as Half paced the perimeter of the couch, sniffing occasionally and mewing.  "I wonder," she murmured, but did not finish her sentence.

Half looked up at her, huge golden eyes meeting her bright green ones.  He let out a final mew and jumped down, rubbing against Cat's skates.

Cat picked him up again.  "I don't think Half likes our guest too much."  She cuddled the kitten as she turned to Tip and Spark.  "Come on, guys, it's late.  He'll probably sleep for awhile.  We can stay up and watch him in shifts.  Any volunteers to go first?"

"I will," Tip volunteered, surprising her two friends.  "Who's going after me, and when should I wake 'em?"

Cat shrugged.  "I'll do it," she said.  "I don't really care when you get me up.  Whenever you get tired, I guess.  Just make sure ya don't fall asleep yourself."

"I won't," Tip assured her.  "Good night."

Spark found a blanket, rolled herself up in it, and was asleep within minutes.  Cat settled into a corner with a warm blanket of squirming, purring cats.  Tip sat beside the small, dim light, watching Tab.  She felt sure he would wake up soon, and she had no intention of falling asleep before he did.


	5. New Friends, Due To Circumstance

Speed hurried through Rokkaku-Dai Heights, feeling a bit sick to his stomach at the graffiti around him.  The walls of the abandoned houses were covered in daisies and bright pink lettering, proclaiming Rokkaku-Dai to be the turf of the PGs.  Speed had never heard of the PGs, but he was somehow sure Spark wasn't one of them.

_Spark's too tough for this stuff,_ he reminded himself, remembering the disdain she'd always had for flowers and dolls and the color pink and all those kinds of girly things…  He shook his head, as if doing so would clear it.  _That is, if she's still alive…_

Hearing a noise behind him, Speed froze.  There was definitely someone there.  Moving as stealthily as he could, he skated into a small nearby alleyway and waited.

Nothing happened.

"Yo!"

Startled, Speed whirled around to see a grinning boy in front of him.

"I probably could've tagged your back and gotten outta here before you knew I was here, yo," the boy noted, then became serious.  "Who are you and what're you doing here?"

Speed considered the question as he looked the boy over.  His short hair was bright green and he wore red-rimmed sunglasses.  Speed supposed he was about sixteen.  _He's gotta be either really stupid to be out alone, or part of a local gang,_ Speed reasoned silently.  _Either way, it's possible he might know where Spark is._

"My name's Speed," he said.  "I was heading to the sewers.  Who're you?"

The boy looked suspicious for a moment, but answered, "Yoyo.  Are you a part of a gang, or are ya out here alone?"

Speed wasn't sure of how to answer that.  "I'm not part of a gang," he replied finally.  He decided to tell Yoyo the truth; what harm could it do him?  "I'm looking for my younger sister.  Her name is Spark.  Have you seen her, by any chance?"

"Spark… huh.  Don't think so.  Do ya know if she'd be around here?"

Speed shook his head.  "No, but I'm hoping so.  I already checked Shibuya Terminal, Hikage Street, Chuo Street, Dogenzaka Hill…"  His voice trailed off.

"What about Ayame Street?" Yoyo asked.  "You didn't mention—"

"She wouldn't be there," Speed interrupted.  "I know it.  She's just… not that kind of girl."

Yoyo shrugged.  "Whatever.  As it happens, I'm lookin' for someone too.  Ya know a kid named Tab?"

Speed wondered if the surprise showed on his face; he hoped it didn't.  "Tab?  Uh, I'm not sure.  I mean, I might, but…"

"'Bout as tall as me, wears a lot of blue and green, blonde hair, has a thing about standing on couches…"  Yoyo looked at Speed.  "Sound familiar?"

Speed nearly laughed.  "…Yeah, I think I used to know a kid like that.  Why are you looking for him?"

"We're part of the same gang.  The GGs, though I doubt you'd have heard of us.  I'm going to the sewers myself, so unless you object, I think it might be a good idea for us to go together… it's dangerous in there."

Speed looked puzzled.  "Dangerous?  Why?"

Yoyo stared at him.  "You don't get out much, do ya?  Ever hear of a gang called Poison Jam?"

"No, why?"

"They live in the Bottom Point of the sewers… and they kill anyone who tries to go through their turf.  That wouldn't be a problem except that it's easy to get lost in there and end up in Bottom Point.  Best not to travel alone, but Tab refused to go with anyone else… I think Poison Jam probably got him.  There's a chance he's still alive, though, and I'm gambling on that chance."  He shook his head.  "I hate to tell ya this, but if your sister tried to go through there, she's probably gone."

Speed was positive his heart skipped.  "If you're taking that chance, so am I.  I ain't letting her go that easy."

Yoyo shrugged, something he seemed to do often.  "Either way, we should go together.  Poison Jam's ten times bigger than I am, but I've spent some time in the sewers and I know my way around."

Speed grinned.  "Sure, but where're you going from the sewers?"

Again Yoyo shrugged.  "If I can't find Tab, I'll either come back here or keep looking past the sewers.  Where're you gonna go?"

"I don't know.  Where do the sewers lead to?"

Yoyo thought a moment.  "Bottom Point, Kibogaoka Hill, and the fortified residential zone."  He made a face at the last one.  "I doubt your sister would've gone to the residential zone.  There's not much to see or do.  If I were you, I'd try Kibogaoka.  Never been there myself, but I hear it's pretty nice."

"I'll look there, then, I guess," Speed said.  "You lead the way."

Wordlessly Yoyo dashed past Speed, so fast that the older boy had to turn and race after him.  "Hey, slow down!"

Yoyo stopped and turned, that same grin on his face.  "So where exactly do ya get your name, huh?  You can't be all that fast if you can't catch up with me…  You sell it or something?"

Speed looked away as he caught up with his apparent new friend.  "No.  Well, not anymore.  Not much… really…"

*          *          *

Tab's first conscious thought was the realization that he was in pain.

Without daring to open his eyes, he decided that he must be lying down on a couch or similar piece of furniture.  A blanket had been spread over him, and he was in a warm, dim room of some kind.

He opened his eyes.  A girl was standing over him.

Panicking, Tab began to sit up.  The girl placed both hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down, but it was too late.  The pain he had felt when he awoke multiplied, and he did not try to sit again.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice cracking.  "Where am I?"

"Guys, he's up," the girl said, and for the first time Tab was aware that there were more people in the room.  Two girls rose sleepily from their spots in the room, and Tab recognized the girls as the trio from the sewer.

The one in front of him, the leader, indicated the girl with the braid, then the short-haired girl.  "This is Cat, this's Spark, and I'm Tip.  We go by the name of Dark Storm.  You're in Kibogaoka Hill, our turf.  Now who're you?"

"Tab.  I'm part of the GGs…" Tab closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them, refocusing on Tip.  "What happened, in the sewers…?"

Tip glanced at Cat before answering, "Well… we made a deal with Cube, Cat raced her and beat her, and we took you back here."

"But… why?  What do you want with me?"

Spark shrugged.  "Nothing, really.  We just thought we'd get you out of Poison Jam's hands until you recover."

Tab was confused, but he was too tired to care.  "Th-thank you," he stuttered.

Tip smiled.  "Poison Jam and Cube are old rivals of ours.  We'll do most anything to annoy 'em.  But what were you doing in the sewers?"

Tab seemed uneasy as he replied, "I was just looking around.  My gang's past Rokkaku-Dai from here, so we don't know much about the places and gangs beyond the sewers."

Cat spoke for the first time, her expression dead serious.  "Best to keep it that way… all the turf around here is taken.  We fight with Poison Jam here, they've got the sewers 'cause no one else wants 'em, and some weird kids've been hanging around the fortified residential zone and causing some serious trouble.  Trust us, there's nothing open for you here."

Tab closed his eyes again, wanting only to sleep…  "I'll remember that."

He felt Tip's hand on his shoulder.  "Get some rest," she told him.  "And try not to move too much.  If ya need anything, feel free to wake us up."

Tab didn't hear her finish.  He was already asleep.

*          *          *

It was Cat who broke the silence.  "Well, that was interesting."

 "Indeed," Spark agreed, winking at Cat.

"What do you mean?" Tip asked, her voice overly innocent.  

Spark grinned.  "You like him, don't ya?"

Tip was surprised.  "What?!"

Cat snickered.  "She don't even know, herself."

Tip opened her mouth, hoping that something would come out.  Nothing did.  She pressed her lips together and turned away from her friends, sure she was blushing.

Spark nodded smugly.  "She does now."

"Shut up," Tip said, finding the words she wanted.  "Hey, Cat," she added, "what was that you said about some kids in the residential zone?"

"Stop trying to change the subject," Spark said.

Cat ignored her friend and turned to Tip.  "Yeah, I forgot to tell you.  I was skating up there awhile ago, and I saw some freak kids wearing black and dark grey.  They were spraying some crazy graffiti and terrorizin' people.  If they're a gang, they mean business.  It's probably only a matter of time before they try to spread out here."

"You're right.  Kibogaoka's the nearest place other than Bottom Point and Rokkaku-Dai," Tip mused.  "Poison Jam's hold on Bottom Point is considered pretty unshakable, and since Rokkaku-Dai spreads out further, it's very likely they'll come here first."

"How many were there, Cat?" Spark asked.

"I don't know, three or four.  A girl and a couple guys, maybe three.  They look pretty much alike from a distance, and I sure didn't want to get too close."

"We have to be ready," Tip decided.  "We gotta keep 'em out.  When do you think they'll come, Cat?"

"It probably won't be much more than, oh, three weeks.  They seem to be getting strong pretty fast.  I don't know if they have a specific leader or anything, though."

Spark, who seemed unusually quiet, asked, "Do you know what they call themselves?  Their name?"

Cat shook her head.  "No idea… why?"

"I just think it might help us understand who they are and what they intend to do," Spark replied, blinking.  "Let's get some sleep."

Cat slid back down into her corner as her friends dropped off to sleep.  She kept thinking now of the kids in the residential zone.  They were different from most gangs, sharper somehow.  Dark Storm did not have too much to fear from Poison Jam despite their size, for Cube's gang was far from intelligent, but the new one…  It was possible that they were harmless, but Cat had a strong feeling that this time, it was going to be absolute war.

And, as with most wars, only one side could be victorious.


	6. Tagger's Tag

(A/N: Those gloves that have no fingers—I've heard them called "fingerless gloves," and as far as I know there's no name for them.  I use the term "half-gloves," because I feel like it.  Thank you.)

"What the—?"

Glaring at Speed, Yoyo raised one half-gloved finger to his lips and motioned with his head.  Speed fell silent and listened.

There were noises in the sewer.  Human noises, to be precise, and more than one.

"Poison Jam," Yoyo whispered, almost mouthing the words.  He frowned in annoyance.  He and Speed had waited until morning to venture into the sewers, assuming that they could be through before Poison Jam woke up.  Apparently they had been wrong.

Speed watched the level below, where Yoyo was pointing.  Sure enough, three huge monsters skated out of the sewer pipe, laughing and joking as they went.  A moment later, a girl came out after them.  Speed gave Yoyo a questioning look, but he just shrugged and whispered, "I don't know her."

The two watched as Poison Jam stopped several feet in front of and one level down from them.  The girl halted as well and addressed them.  "All right, guys, remember everything I told ya?"

"Yeh," answered the one who appeared to be the leader of the trio.  "Kill 'em."

"Except for the leader," the girl reminded them.  "The other two, the one with the short hair and the one with the braid… toss 'em off somewhere.  I want the leader alive.  And paint everything ya see.  You morons got it?"

Poison Jam grunted in response, and Yoyo and Speed stared in silence as the four skated into another open sewer pipe.  Yoyo seemed worried, and when Poison Jam was gone he said, "They went to Kibogaoka Hill.  I'm not sure what's goin' down, but it's pretty bad.  Poison Jam's looking for a tag war, or worse."

Speed was confused.  "What?"

Yoyo was beginning to get annoyed with the "street cluelessness" of his new companion.  "Did you understand a word I just said?  …Doesn't matter.  Listen: Poison Jam's going for war with another gang.  It's possible that they'll just tag their backs, but it sure sounded more serious, in case you didn't pick up on that…  They're really out for blood this time."

Speed stared at him.  "Who's the other gang?"

Yoyo shrugged.  "No idea.  I know the sewers okay, but I told you I've never been to Kibogaoka.  Tab can't be here if Poison Jam don't know about it, so I should move on."  He glanced at the pipe leading to Kibogaoka Hill, then looked back to Speed.  "Want to go see what's going on?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Who knows," Yoyo added as he hopped over the rail, landing safely on the level below.  "Your sister might even be part of that gang."

"Maybe," Speed replied.  The odds of that were… well, too good for his own peace of mind.  He jumped after Yoyo.  "Let's go."

*          *          *

A young man walked out of the Ayame Street courthouse.  _Free at last!_

He had been jailed three years ago for drug dealing.  Sixteen at the time, he had been oblivious when someone he thought was his friend had set him up…

He muttered a curse or two.  Or three.  Or four.

Blade smiled to himself as he sat on the steps and pulled his skates on.  They were new, black with a red flame design, and fit him perfectly.

He stood and started off, pleased to find that he hadn't lost his superior skating ability.  Using the street signs, he directed himself toward his former home… and, he hoped, revenge against his former friend.

*          *          *

Cat stepped back and looked over her work, smiling through the early morning light.  Poison Jam's disgusting graffiti was gone, replaced by the indigo-colored words "Dark Storm" and the gang's symbol, a yellow lightning bolt.  A scowl flashed over Cat's face.  Poison Jam had been invading Kibogaoka with increasing frequency.

As if her mind was playing a trick on her, she heard voices.  Voices that sounded very much like Poison Jam.  She shook her head for a moment and listened, realizing then that it was indeed Poison Jam.  She leaned over the rooftop she was on and saw them just beneath her.  The three monsters took off, painting over Dark Storm graffiti on the walls near the entrance to the sewers.  Then, to Cat's astonishment, Cube followed them, adding her own personal touch to her underlings' art.

Cat stood and skated off, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.  She did not have much time.

_If Cube's here too, this is it,_ she thought.  _I didn't think it would be so soon…_

Cat dropped directly into Dark Storm's home, not even bothering to grind down the ladder.  Tip looked up at her, startled.  "Cat!" she exclaimed.  "What's wrong?"

"Poison Jam," Cat gasped, out of breath from skating so fast.  "They're here."

"You mean…?" Tip asked, eyes widening.

"All of 'em," Cat confirmed.  "Where's Spark?"

Tip bit her lower lip.  "I don't know, she went out tagging, same as you…"

Tab had managed to partially sit up.  "What's going on?"

Tip glanced at him.  "Poison Jam is here.  You're gonna stay put.  We'll be back soon," she told him, only half-believing her own promise.  "Come on, Cat.  We gotta go find Spark."

"You go alone," Cat responded.  "I'm going for 'em."

Tip stopped on her way to the exit and stared at her.  "You're kidding me, right?  You're not crazy enough to go after _Poison Jam_?"

"I'm faster than they are," Cat assured her friend.  "And I'm a better tagger.  I can probably take out Shard, he's the slowest…"

"You'll be _dead_!" Tip pointed out, grinding up the ladder.  Cat followed.  "But," Tip continued when they were out, "I can't stop you.  I can only ask you not to do it…  Cat, please don't go.  Please."

Ignoring her friend, Cat skated off.  "Find Spark," she called over her shoulder, trying not to let on how terrified she was.

Tip went in the opposite direction, feeling sick to her stomach and wondering if she should have tried harder to stop Cat.  _She knows what she's doing,_ she told herself.  Pushing her worries away as best as she knew how, she skated faster.  She had to find Spark before Poison Jam finished Cat off.

*          *          *

"Where is she?" Shard demanded of no one in particular.  He was sure he had seen the girl with the braid, but she had escaped before he could go for her.  He was looking at the stairs in front of him when he heard the sound of a spray can.

Realizing what was happening, he turned around.  The girl was standing behind him on the above walkway.  Leaning far over the rail, almost to the point of falling off, she had begun to tag his back.

"Hi," she greeted him.  "Come and get me, freak."

If she could spray Shard's back, the fumes from the paint would probably make him pass out.  If he didn't, Cat knew, he would get so frustrated that he would no longer be a problem.  If he could tag her, it worked both ways: the two had begun the dangerous game called "Tagger's Tag."

Shard looked around, but he was the only member of Poison Jam left.  Shred, Scrap, and Cube had left to different areas of Kibogaoka, so it seemed he would have to deal with the girl alone.  Grunting, he lumbered toward the stairs that led to the walkway she was on.

Cat let him get within ten feet of her, then she jumped on the rail of the walkway.  Before Shard figured out what was going on, she shot past him, adding a bit to the graffiti on his back as she went.  He turned and followed her as she hopped on a wire, went grinding down over a large group of houses, and jumped off at a large building at the end of the wire.

Shard leapt off onto the building just as Cat jumped onto the next wire.  He chased her once more, growling in frustration.  She began slowing down, and he got closer and closer…  He reached for a paint can, grinning to himself.

Without warning, she jumped.  Shard, utterly unaware, went right under her.  Cat landed just behind him and began tagging his back again.  She had nearly finished when he leapt to the side, desperate not to let her tag him.  He did not look where he was going, however, and hit a rooftop face-first.  Cat continued on the wire, leaving the angry Shard far behind.  She had to go look for Spark and Tip.

*          *          *

"It's already begun, yo."

Speed looked at Yoyo.  "What?"

Yoyo looked around as he skated toward the stairs where Cat had been a moment earlier.  "Dude, do ya got any street sense at _all_?  You can feel it.  You can smell it even.  There's a war goin' on here.  A small one, maybe, but still a war."  He dragged his finger along a piece of Poison Jam graffiti and held it up to Speed.  It was covered in purplish paint.  "Fresh.  They're here."

Speed said nothing.  He was staring at another piece of graffiti.

Yoyo followed his gaze.  "Huh.  Dark Storm.  I think I've heard of them.  I guess Kibogaoka's their turf."

"Spark," Speed whispered.  "She's here."

Yoyo glanced at his friend.  "What?  How do you know?"

"I just know," Speed answered, not wanting to go into detail, especially since he didn't understand the certainty himself.  "If she's joined a gang, it's this Dark Storm.  It's just… her _style_."

Yoyo shrugged as he jumped on the stair rail.  "If you say so.  Come on… there's obviously no one right here.  They must've all moved on by now."

Speed followed Yoyo with new purpose.  If Spark was in danger… he would never forgive himself for not being there for her.

*          *          *

Spark's skates seemed to glide gracefully over the ground, though she felt anything but graceful.  Glancing back, her pulse raced faster as she saw that the member of Poison Jam, the one called Shred, was only a few feet behind her.  A bit closer and he would be able to tag her…  Spark looked forward once more.  She was getting tired, and the monster would catch her if she stopped…

"Spark!"

Spark was relieved to hear Tip's voice behind her.  She heard the sound of a spray can and breathed a prayer.  Not daring to look back, she could only hope that Tip was the one doing the tagging.

Hearing the noises slow behind her, Spark stopped to catch her breath and turned around.  Tip had been tagging Shred, but he had paused to deal with her himself.

Horrified, Spark watched as Shred swung a fist at Tip, who ducked under it and skated to the side.  Shred followed her, grabbing a paint can as he went.  Making up her mind, Spark dashed back toward Tip and the monster.  Together the two friends might have a chance, but only if she could catch them in time.

*          *          *

Cat skated along the ground, having abandoned the rooftops for safer footing.  Shard was following her as they skated around a group of houses.  They were back near the entrance to the sewers now, for Cat had turned around when she had encountered a second member of the monstrous gang.  Fortunately, he had not noticed her, so she had only the first one to contend with.

Worried about Tip and Spark, Cat realized too late that she was closing herself into a dead end.  Shard was directly behind her, and she would have to turn around as soon as she had rounded the next corner…

She was jolted out of her strategizing when she felt something she had not expected: Shard had grabbed her long braid.  She winced and kept moving, knowing she would have to turn back soon but unsure of how to do it.  She swore under her breath, the pain sending red waves through her vision.

Suddenly she heard skates hit the ground a ways behind her; someone had jumped off the rooftops.  Shard did not seem to notice.

A few feet from the drop ahead, Cat braked hard, her skates sliding to a halt.  Shard continued on, still holding her hair, and she kicked him with all her strength in the back of the knee as he passed her.  He collapsed to the ground, moaning and releasing her braid.  Pulling out a paint can, Cat finished the painting on his back.  _One down, however many to go._

Remembering that she had heard someone behind them, Cat turned around just as a boy skated up behind her.  He looked at the fallen Shard, then at Cat.  "Nice moves, yo," he remarked, no hint of sarcasm in his voice.  "You okay?"

Cat stared at him.  He had green hair and red sunglasses, and he looked about her age.  She could not recall having seen him before.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered, then she asked the two questions that were standard operating procedure for anyone in her position: "Who are you and what're you doing in my turf?"

He backed up a bit, Cat wasn't sure why.  "Name's Yoyo.  I heard Poison Jam in the sewers talkin' 'bout invading here, and I decided to come see what's up…  Sorry.  If I may ask, who're you?"

Cat was annoyed that she couldn't think of much of a reason not to tell him.  "Cat.  I'm part of Dark Storm.  Kibogaoka's our territory."

Yoyo gave a vague nod.  "I gotta ask, do you know a girl named Spark?"

Cat was so surprised that it didn't even occur to her to lie.  "Yeah, she's in our gang; why do you ask?"

Yoyo looked up toward the rooftops for a moment, then back at Cat.  "I got a friend, name's Speed… don't know what happened to him at the moment, but he's lookin' for her.  Says he's her brother.  He probably went to try and find her or something.  Kinda got a one-track mind, though it's understandable."

Cat continued to stare at him.  She had known Spark had a brother; Spark had babbled incessantly about him when Cat had first met her, but then she had stopped talking about him altogether.

Unable to think of anything else to say, Cat told Yoyo, "I gotta see if my gang needs help."  She studied the boy, wondering if she could trust him.  "Come with me," she sighed finally.

Confused, Yoyo obeyed, doing his best to keep up with Cat's superior speed as she went straight up a pole and began grinding down the attached wire, then rode off a billboard and jumped from it onto another wire.

"Careful to follow me," she warned, slowing a bit so he could catch up.  "There're some jumps here that ya gotta make if you want to live a long life."  Before she had even finished speaking, she leapt off the wire and landed, quite a ways away, on yet another.

Not having as much time to think about it as he wanted, Yoyo jumped after her.  He didn't quite reach the wire and, in a desperate move, jumped off the wall, barely landing on the wire.  He wasn't exactly prepared as he fell from one wire to another a moment later.  Catching himself in time, he jumped onto what appeared to be the last wire.  After grinding along it, he rode off a billboard and landed on the roof of the building where Cat was waiting for him.  He caught only a glimpse of her face before he landed, but he could've sworn she was smiling.

"Not bad for the first time," she told him, turning and skating off once more.  Taking a deep breath, Yoyo followed.

He was again unprepared when Cat suddenly slowed in her grind.  Too late Yoyo tried to slow down as well; he bumped into her and the two fell to the ground.

Cat landed on her feet like the animal bearing her name, but Yoyo was not so fortunate.  Cat grabbed his hand in both of hers and pulled him up, a bit faster than he would have preferred.  "Watch out next time," she called as she skated back the way they had come, leaving the dizzy Yoyo to stumble after her.  "One of my friends is over here… I think I saw her.  I just hope she's okay…"

(A/N: And in conclusion, everyone, this is what happens to you when you eat two and a half cups of plain brown sugar: you post stuff like this on the Internet so the world can laugh at you, plus you get on a sugar high.  Oh, well…)


	7. Reunions

(A/N: I present to my infinitesimal audience another little chapter, filled with useless junk and author's notes that are _so_ annoying you'll probably want to hunt me down and shoot me!  Yay!)

Tip dropped her last, now-empty spray can, her breath coming in short gasps.  Scrap was just behind her.  She looked around for more paint, but her heart sounded so deafening in her ears that she couldn't concentrate on anything.  Spark had disappeared, along with Cat, Cube, and the two other members of Poison Jam.  _Please, let Cat and Spark be doing better than I am,_ Tip prayed, _or we've lost everything._

She skated desperately along, chased by Scrap, knowing she did not have the strength to keep going.  She slowed down as she heard the Poison Jam monster pulling out a paint can.  _I can't believe this…_

The sound of paint being sprayed reached Tip's ears, and she stopped moving altogether.  It was over.

It was a moment before she realized that she was not the one being tagged.  Turning, she saw a dark figure behind her attacker.  Scrap turned as well, and Tip noticed the beginnings of graffiti on his back, graffiti other than hers.  She made out an _S_, a _P_…

She skated backwards a bit, unsure of what to do or who this person was, as Scrap swung hard at him and missed.  Tip could not see clearly, but she caught a glimpse of a boy: older than her, with long black hair and bright amber eyes.  _Like Spark's,_ she thought.  _He looks a bit like her, too…_

To Tip's astonishment, the boy drove a fist into Scrap's stomach, making him double over, then brought a knee up into the monster's masked face.  The boy then grabbed another paint can from his side and in several smooth strokes finished the painting on Scrap's back: _SPEED_.

Tip watched as the littlest member of Poison Jam collapsed to his knees, then fell face-first to the ground, unconscious.  _Tagger's Tag…_

The boy looked up, his eyes meeting Tip's.

"Sorry about that," he apologized.  "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Nothing at all," Tip replied breathlessly.  "Who're you?"

He motioned at Scrap's painted back.  "Speed.  I assume you're part of Dark Storm?"

Tip nodded, confused.

"Do ya know a girl named Spark, by any chance?" he asked.  When Tip did not answer immediately, he added in a softer voice, "Please?"

"Yeah," Tip answered, still puzzled.  "She's part of my gang."

Speed tried not to look too hopeful.  "Where is she?"

"I'm not sure, but I need to find her," Tip admitted, turning and skating off.  Speed followed, as she had known he would.  "Why're you lookin' for her?"

Speed was silent for a moment, then responded, "She's my sister."

Tip stopped and looked at Speed, this time much harder.  "Are you serious?  You're Spark's brother?"

He nodded.

Saying nothing, Tip began skating again, faster this time.  "Go this way," she directed when they came to a corner.  She paused and caught Speed's gaze.  "I guess I gotta trust you."  Turning, she continued on.  Speed went in the other direction.

_So apparently she does have a brother,_ Tip thought.  _She said something about that… a long time ago…_

"So, Tip, I see you've taken out one of mine.  Not without help… as usual."

Tip halted at the voice behind her, sure she felt the blood rush to her head.  She turned around as slowly as she could, afraid she would fall over if she moved too fast.

"Cube," she whispered.  "Why?"  Her voice's pitch raised to one of anger.  "Why did you do this?"

Cube raised an eyebrow at her.  "Why not?  I wanted it, so I went for it.  Ya see, that's the difference between you and me.  If you want something, you sit around and hope it'll come to you.  Like that kid in the sewers, right?"

Tip felt her cheeks heat up.  "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Tip.  I've known you plenty long enough to know what I see with you.  Tell me, what'd ya do?  Just let him go?"

Tip said nothing; words seemed to elude her.  How had Cube known?

"You let him go, didn't ya?  Or if you didn't, you will.  He'll never know that ya like him.  I gotta say, that was pretty fast, though.  Love at first sight, and it sure wasn't much of a sight."

An alarmed cry that sounded like Spark interrupted the unpleasant conversation, from the direction Speed had gone.  Cube nodded at Tip.

"You might as well give it up," she advised, "before it becomes too painful.  Your friends are both gone, you know."

Tip stared at Cube.  It was impossible… wasn't it?

"No," she declared finally.  "You're right, Cube, we've known each other a long time.  I've known you long enough to tell when you're lying.  You're losing this… and both of us know it."

Cube's eyes locked with Tip's, and for a moment neither moved.

"I may have lost this," Cube snarled, "but I ain't finished.  You had help this time.  That kid won't always be here to save you.  And next time… I'll be ready."

Poison Jam's leader turned around, then glanced over her shoulder and spoke once more, her voice softening.  "I'm kinda sorry, ya know.  It's too bad things didn't work out differently… you and I never agree, but you're still my baby sister."  She tossed down a smoke bomb in her usual style, and when Tip could see again, she was gone.

"Always had to be the flashy one," she muttered, skating in the direction she had sent Speed.  "Things 'worked out' the way they did for a reason, Cube… and maybe someday you'll understand what that reason is."

(A/N: 'Kay, when one of my friends read this, she wasn't sure if Cube was being sarcastic, so to make sure that's clear: Cube _is_ Tip's sister.  Lame, you say?  Don't care.  …Oh, yeah, and that smoke bomb thing is based on Cube's exit from Sky Dinosaurian Square in the JSRF storyline… kind of stupid, I think, but she did it, so don't blame me…)

*          *          *

Spark couldn't believe her eyes.

One moment she had been backed into a corner, Shred blocking the only way for her to escape.  She had closed her eyes… and by the time she opened them, he was crumpling to the ground.

She had not immediately recognized the boy who had saved her.  She had done no more than watch in shock as he smashed the edge of a paint can into Shred's back and sprayed a tag on him as he fell.  Still she did not understand, not until she looked at the graffiti.

Speed…? 

He had turned to her as soon as Shred had fallen.  His eyes had met hers, and both froze for a few seconds.

Then he had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Spark," Speed whispered.  "I was afraid…"  He didn't, or couldn't, finish his sentence.  He released her after a moment, pulling her back and looking more closely at her face.

"Dude, you've changed," he remarked.  "It hasn't been as long as it feels, but… you've changed a lot."

"So've you," she returned.  "Last time I saw ya, you were still a skinny little kid."  She grinned.  "Who never wanted to leave the house."

He grinned back.  "Last time I saw you, you were still a shy little girl who couldn't skate to save her life."

"We've both changed a lot, then," Spark agreed.  She hugged her brother again.  "Speed… it's good to see you."

"You, too," he murmured.

"Isn't that sweet," Tip interrupted, skating up behind Speed.  She glanced down at Shred.  "That was quick."  She looked from Speed to Spark and smiled.  "Family reunion.  Lovely…"

_Mine,_ she thought, _wasn't exactly a happy one._

Spark's smile dropped off her face.  "Anyone seen Cat?"

"I'm right here," a voice called.  Cat dropped ninja-style off a nearby rooftop, her skates making noiseless contact with the ground.

"I told you not to do that," Spark scolded with mild annoyance.  "How long have you been up there?"

"Not too long," Cat replied.  She looked up.  "Are you coming, kid?"

Reluctantly Yoyo jumped down after her.  At Tip's look Cat shrugged and explained simply, "This is Yoyo."  She looked at the boy standing next to Spark.  "You must be Speed.  I guess you two were traveling together?"

Speed glanced at Yoyo.  "Yeah."

"Oh, that reminds me," Yoyo exclaimed, snapping his fingers.  "You guys seen a kid named Tab?"

Tip, Cat, and Spark exchanged a glance.  "Uh, yeah, actually we have," Tip answered after a moment.

Yoyo seemed surprised.  "Really?"  His surprised look broke into a grin.  "You're tellin' me the little guy survived the sewers?  Are we talking about the same person?"

Cat tried not to laugh and failed miserably.  "Survived the sewers?  Well, technically he did, but—"

"All in good time," Tip cut in.  She glanced at Spark, then at Speed, then at Yoyo.  Shrugging, she said, "I guess we might as well take you to our home.  Come on," she sighed, and skated off.  Her two friends followed, Cat with Yoyo at her heels and Spark side by side with Speed.

*          *          *

(A/N: Yay, more annoying original characters!  …Don't shoot…)

Pulse leaned over the girl's shoulder.  "Hey, what're ya doing?"

She jumped with the sudden awareness of his presence.  "What am I doing?  What are _you_ doing?  Here, specifically.  And where're Ellipse and Wax?"

"Who cares?" Pulse asked with a shrug.  He put his face next to the side of her head and whispered into her ear, "It's just us."

"Go away, I'm busy."  She brushed Pulse's hand off her shoulder.  

Again he tried to see what she was doing.  "With what?"

Giving up as he was stronger than her, the girl let him see.  "Trying to figure these stupid papers out.  And you ain't helping.  Go away, or I'll call Ellipse.  I gotta finish this."

"That Blade guy again?" Pulse asked, frowning as he glanced over the paperwork, which seemed to be about release from jail and probation and such.  "What's so important about him anyway?  Be honest with yourself, Petal.  If ya only heard from him a couple times in three years, what makes ya think he cares about you at all?"

Petal pushed Pulse's hand off her shoulder again, a bit harder this time.  "Leave me alone, Pulse.  This is Blade's gang.  When he gets here, I'm giving up my authority to him.  And if ya don't like it, you're free to leave.  Not necessarily with your entire body _intact and functioning_, but we'll make sure ya leave…  Got it?"

Pulse took a step back, not at all liking the possible implications of her words.  "Sure, I just—"

"Now shut up and stay out of my way, or I'll have Ellipse make sure ya do," Petal threatened, her voice holding no trace of humor.  "Get lost."

Sulking, Pulse slipped off behind some old abandoned buildings.  He was turning the corner of one when his skates were suddenly and disturbingly levitating a good six inches above the ground.

Pulse's back slammed into the wall that had been at his side.  He was fighting to replace the air that had been knocked out of him when he found himself looking up into a pair of cold, pale blue eyes.  Ellipse.

"She told ya to stay away from her," he growled, "so you stay away.  Blade asked me to watch out for her, and I plan to do that.  I'm letting you off with a warning this time.  If ya know what's good for your personal health, you won't ignore it."

He released his hold on the front of Pulse's shirt, sending him to the ground, where he coughed and gasped, "Okay, okay, I got it."

Ellipse glared down at him.  He was pretty big and strong, plus Pulse was so small and wiry that Ellipse had no trouble lifting him off the ground.  Ellipse was the stereotypical overprotective brother, except he wasn't Petal's brother…  Rather, he was the brother of Petal's boyfriend, Blade, and he was loyal in every way to his sibling's single request: _Watch Petal._

Pulse coughed again, glad that he wasn't spitting out blood, like he had been the last time he had made the mistake of getting too close to Petal.  Forcing himself to ignore his fear, Pulse stood and skated past Ellipse's steely eyes.  He was almost to safety when a hand on his shoulder pulled him back.

"Don't forget again, kid," Ellipse warned in a low voice.  "Next time, ya ain't even gonna know what hit you, understand me?"

Pulse nodded and swallowed in an attempt to moisten his mouth.  Ellipse was stronger than he was, but that didn't by any means make him stupider.  He saw everything that went on in Petal's life, and Pulse couldn't even look at her without feeling Ellipse's eyes burning into him…

Yet he still loved her.  _Foolishly so,_ he thought as he skated as far away from Ellipse as possible.  She had no such feelings for him; that was so obvious that Pulse couldn't even delude himself into thinking otherwise.  No, Petal was in love with Blade.

Blade didn't love her, though, at least not anymore.  Pulse was sure of it.  But Petal was no better at accepting rejection than Pulse was, so the two kept trying unsuccessfully to attract the attention of the one they loved.

_I'm not as bad as she is,_ Pulse decided.  _When Blade gets here, I'll see if she changes her mind about that jerk… but if not, I'm leaving._  After all, Petal had waited three years for Blade.  Pulse would not wait so long for her.

He would give her only one more chance.

*          *          *

Tab looked up immediately at the sound of skates hitting the ground.  He was relieved to see Tip, crouching from the impact as she skated over to him.

"You okay?" she asked.

Spark dropped into Dark Storm's home, followed by… _could it really be?_

Tab's turquoise eyes widened.  "Speed?"

The boy looked up at him, his expression of surprise mirroring Tab's.  "Well, Tab, it really is you.  I wondered what happened to ya."

Tip was watching the exchange, confusion in her eyes as she saw the look on Tab's face, then the identical one on Speed's.  "You two know each other?"

"Yeah, kinda," Tab muttered.  "We grew up together."

Cat came grinding down the ladder in an uncharacteristically civilized manner, followed by Yoyo.  Tab did not notice his friend until Yoyo greeted him with his traditional, "Yo!"

"Hey," Tab replied, almost forgetting about Speed.  "What're you doing here?"

"Came to look for you, yo," Yoyo answered.  He looked from Tab to Speed, as if remembering what Speed had mentioned earlier.  "Do you guys know each other?"

Tab nodded, as did Speed.  Comprehension spread over Spark's face.  "Oh, I remember you!" she exclaimed.  "You guys used to be best friends!"

Both Tab and Speed looked away from each other.  "Yeah," Speed said.

"I remember you now," Tab addressed Spark.  "You used to be friends with…"  His voice trailed off as he realized that the subject was a sensitive one with Spark.

"Yeah, I did," she murmured.  "Not anymore."

Always ready to escape an unpleasant situation, Tip turned to Tab.  "You never answered me.  Are ya feeling any better?"

"A bit," Tab said.

"Good.  Maybe we'll be able to get rid of you in a few days then."

Tab tried to pretend he was offended.  Yoyo was looking from Tip to Tab and grinning.  Noticing him, Tip inquired, "What's so funny?"

"You two," he answered.

Tip's cheeks flushed pink, as did Tab's.  "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Tab demanded, looking away from Tip. 

Yoyo shrugged.  "Whatever ya take it to mean, yo."

Tip could think of nothing to say, so she gave up and sat down on the floor.  Spark joined her.  "Boy, I'm tired," she sighed.

Bracing his back against the wall, Speed slid to the floor.  He felt suddenly drained of energy, as if the day had held too much excitement.

It was Cat who voiced what everyone else was thinking.  "Let's get some sleep," she suggested, and the idea was met with agreement all around.  Cat herself was first to fall asleep, followed by Spark and Speed, who stayed next to each other.  Tip found a spot for Yoyo, made sure Tab was asleep, and finally dropped off herself.

*          *          *

(A/N: Remember the Romantic Energies?  Well, they're BACK!  …I've had too much caffeine… sorry…)

Hand was jolted out of his sleep by the sound of the phone ringing.  He was the lightest sleeper of the Romantic Energies, and from what he could tell, he was the only one who had been awakened.  Soft, steady snoring, Hand wasn't sure who from, confirmed his assumptions.

After fumbling with the phone for a few seconds and cursing at it, he held it up to its proper position and muttered none too pleasantly, "Hello?"  He frowned then, sure he recognized the reply.  "Just a moment, please."  Putting the phone face-down, he crawled over and gently shook the sleeping girl a few feet away from him.

"Black Rose!"

Eyes blinking open at the sound of her name, Black Rose gave Hand a sleepy smile.  "Oh, hello," she murmured.  "What is it?"

"I know it's really early, but there's a phone call for you."

"Who is it?" Black Rose inquired, noting that Hand's voice seemed a bit lower than usual and that, even in the dark, she could tell the smile he always had for her was absent.  _He's just tired,_ she told herself.

"He, um, didn't say," Hand mumbled.  "You'd better get it."

Black Rose sat up.  Picking up the phone, she asked suspiciously, "Hello?"

"Hello, sister," came the cool voice on the other side.  "How've ya been?"

Black Rose closed her eyes.  "Why're you calling me?"

"I haven't seen you in the longest time," the voice said smoothly.  "But I'd like to.  You can come meet me… or I could come meet you."

"No!" Black Rose exclaimed, her voice louder than she intended.  "I'll meet you.  When?"

She knew the answer before it came.  "Now.  And come alone."

"What about Snap?" Black Rose asked half-sarcastically.  "You haven't seen him in the longest time either."

She heard a click and the line went dead.


	8. Dreaming Reality

(A/N: What's that?  The chapter title sucks?  Why, thank you!)

Cat sat upright, breathing hard.  Cold beads of sweat slid down her cheeks.  _A dream…?  But, that makes no sense…_

Hearing a movement beside her, she glanced over to see Yoyo, lying down and watching her.  She inhaled quickly.  "What're you doing here?" she whispered.  He was too close for her own comfort.

"Sorry," he whispered back.  "Tip said this was the only available spot."  He shrugged into the dark, the motion visible only to Cat's catlike eyes.

Cat made a mental note to get back at her gang's leader for that.  "She lied," she muttered in annoyance.

"Sorry," Yoyo apologized again.  He stared at her for a moment, his eyes not as well-adjusted to the dark.  "You okay?"

"Yeah," Cat answered, not feeling as certain as she hoped she sounded.  "Just a nightmare, that's all… really," she added when she saw his skeptical look.  "I'm fine."

"Tell me about it," he suggested in a soft voice, surprising her.  He sat up and braced his open hands against the floor.  "Have ya had it before?"

"…Yeah, something similar," she responded after a moment, her voice even quieter.

Yoyo had moved over to Cat, and he circled his arm around her shivering shoulders, hoping to steady her.  She seemed startled, but did not attempt to push him off.  "What was it?" he asked, still concerned.

"It was…" she paused, catching her breath.  "A gang… I think.  A girl and some guys…  I…"  She brushed hair out of her face.  "I might've seen 'em before…"

"Where?"

"In the fortified residential zone.  There were these kids…"

"Tell me about 'em," Yoyo prompted when she did not continue.

"They wear black… black and dark grey.  They have a black upside-down cross on their shirts, surrounded by red flames…  The girl has a gun, one of the guys has a knife.  They're bad, real bad; I know it.  And something…"

She looked at Yoyo as her voice trailed off, wondering why she had let him get so close to her, and for so long.  She disliked males in general, and Yoyo was no exception, though he didn't seem as bad as some…

Lightly she brushed his half-gloved hand off her shoulder.  "Thanks, Yoyo.  I think I'll be okay… just got a little alarmed, I guess."  She smiled at him, not sure if he could see; hoping he couldn't, because she was sure she was blushing.  "Thanks."

Yoyo backed up, sensing her embarrassment.  "Sorry," he apologized for the third time that night.  "I shouldn't have—"

"It's okay," Cat told him, surprising both herself and Yoyo.  "Good night."

Yoyo was settling back into his spot when he heard a growl.  Sitting up, he saw that Cat seemed to be asleep, but a pair of golden eyes was staring at him, between himself and Cat.  A small mouth opened just beneath the eyes, releasing a soft hiss and revealing tiny, needlelike fangs.

Yoyo cautiously leaned back again, more than a bit disturbed.  He had seen Cat holding a small, golden-eyed kitten earlier.  She had called him Half, he remembered.

"Half," he whispered.  The cat's mouth closed, as if in a yawn, and the golden eyes stared eerily at him.  Yoyo made a quiet clicking noise with his tongue, and Half padded over to him, paws silent on the floor.  Yoyo let the kitten sniff his hand, then rub against it as he gently petted the soft fur.  A few seconds later Half began to purr.

Yoyo smiled to himself.  "I wish Cat was as easy to calm as you," he muttered.  "Though I don't think I helped her much."  Mentally he cursed himself for even getting near her… now _he_ might never get back to sleep.

Half mewed softly and rubbed his head against Yoyo's face.  He smiled at the kitten and settled back down.  Half sat down on top of his shoulder, purring at such a volume that Yoyo couldn't have heard someone speaking next to him.  Loud as it was, the consistent sound relaxed him, and within a few minutes he was once again asleep.

*          *          *

Black Rose took a deep breath.  She had been through Ayame Street, Rokkaku-Dai Heights, and the Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility, all the way to the fortified residential zone of Tokyo.  Huge buildings loomed around her, giant machines hummed, and no human being was in sight… not that much could be seen with the black fog that now hung over the residential zone.

"Wax!" she shouted, the shadows seeming to swallow her voice.  "You wanted me to come here; what do you want?"

A voice behind her nearly startled her to death.  "Quiet," it commanded.  "I don't want to wake up the police… hard as it is."

Black Rose turned, just about ready to strangle Wax.  "Don't do that!" she snapped, angered further when he just grinned.  "Now tell me what ya want so I can get out of here."

Wax leaned against a wall, ignoring her desire to hurry.  "If you don't want to be here, why'd ya agree to come?"

She glared at him.  "Because if you call me, at four in the morning no less, I know you're up to _something_… and whatever it is, it's not good."

He seemed suddenly alarmed.  "You did come alone, didn't you?"

"Yes," Black Rose answered.  "Hand didn't want me to, but—"

Her mouth shut as she realized what she was saying, but Wax had heard her.

"Don't mention _him_ again," he ordered in an icy voice, and Black Rose was relieved that he did not make anything more of it.  Wax was fairly small, but she knew that he always carried a pocketknife, and she was unarmed… and even though they were related, Wax was unpredictable.

"But you _are_ alone?" he continued.  "Or are you lying to me?  To your brother?"

Black Rose took a step back, disturbed and insulted.  Though unable to see, she could feel his suspicious stare.  "_Half_-brother," she corrected.  "Snap's my only brother."

Wax laughed, the sound a mixture of mockery and annoyance.  "Yes, aren't you quite the lucky one."

"I came alone," Black Rose told him, returning to a subject she was more comfortable with.  "Now what is it?"

"All in good time," he laughed.  "Come with me."  He turned and skated a few feet, waiting for her to follow him.

The black-and-red design on his back seemed to glow.  Black Rose followed it, the uneasy feeling in her stomach increasing with every forward movement of her skates.

Wax kept going, jumping on a stair rail and grinding up.  "It's a long way to the top," he informed her, his words as much a challenge as a warning.  "Don't get lost."

Black Rose quickened her pace.  Much as she did not want to be here, much as she did not trust Wax, she knew that if she did not go with him, something bad would happen… something very, very bad.

*          *          *

Cat smiled at the sleeping boy six feet away from her.  She had to admit he looked… quite amusing, if nothing else.  Yoyo's glasses, having never left his face during the night, were slightly askew.  One arm was at his side; the other crossed over his chest, letting a hand rest on Half, who was curled up on his shoulder asleep.

Glancing around, Cat saw that most of the others were still sleeping.  Speed, however, was sitting against the wall, knees pulled up to his chin.  His black hair was hanging in his face, and he didn't seem to realize that anyone else was up.

"Speed?" Cat whispered.

He looked up quickly, almost defensively.  "Oh, hi," he murmured when he noticed her.  "Sleep well?"

Cat thought of her dream… and of Yoyo.  "Yeah, I guess.  How 'bout you?"

Speed laughed the short, humorless laugh that seemed to be characteristic of him.  "Not really, but it doesn't matter.  I'll be leaving soon enough."

Cat stared at him.  "You're leaving?  Why?"

Speed said nothing.  His head sank back into the thick sweatshirt, his ponytail curling over one shoulder.

"Spark'll be going with you, I guess," Cat sighed, downcast with that realization.

Speed's cool voice interrupted her disappointment.  "No.  She's gonna stay here with you and Tip."

Cat raised an eyebrow at him.  "Did she say that?"

Again Speed was silent.  Finally he answered, "I can't mess up her life."

"You wouldn't mess anything up.  I saw how delighted she was to see you.  I haven't seen her that happy since I've known her."  She paused.  "She used to talk about you, ya know.  Never shut up.  I think she figured you'd come after her when she left.  When you didn't… she tried to stop thinking about you.  She's missed you, though.  I know she has."

Speed closed his eyes and sighed.  "We'll see," he muttered.

Feeling an odd urge to smack him and demand a straight response, Cat shrugged to herself, then smiled and glanced from Yoyo to Tab, then back to Speed… then back to Yoyo.

_Now each of us seems to have a guy to deal with,_ she mused.  Watching Yoyo's slight movements as he drew breath in and out of his body, she smiled again.

Hers was not going to be easy to get rid of.

*          *          *

Petal glanced up, squinting a bit into the dim light of the _very_ early morning.  "You're late.  You said you'd be here at three."

The young man blew loose black hair out of his eyes as he completed his landing, having jumped from grinding down the spiral staircase.  "Not my fault.  He wasn't there.  I searched the whole place."  He looked critically around the area Petal had chosen, then shrugged to himself.  "Where's the kid?"

"Where's who?"  Petal asked, standing and moving closer to the boy.

"The kid you said wanted to join us."

"Oh, he's… around."  Petal put one hand on the boy's shoulder and leaned against his arm.

He shook her off.  "I ain't got time for this, Petal," he snapped.  "Where is he?"

Petal pulled back, pouting.  "You never got time for me… Slow," she complained.

His fist shot up to her face so swiftly that it almost connected.  She jumped back with a gasp, shocked.

"_Never_ call me that," he ordered in a low voice.  "Never.  My name's Blade.  Don't forget it.  Now tell me where the kid is and stop—"

"I'm right here," a voice interrupted.  "That was interesting, I gotta say… Blade."

Blade turned to his left, then his right, trying to find the voice.  He muttered a curse at himself; years ago such carelessness might have cost him his life.

"Relax."  A young man stepped out of the shadows, where he had been leaning against an old building.  "It seems that Petal doesn't think I'm good enough to join you."

Blade shot Petal a look.  "She don't make the decisions around here," he snapped, glaring at the girl, who had returned to her pouting.

"So it appears," noted the boy.  "I believe you were speaking of wasting time.  I don't got much time myself, so if ya could come to a quick decision, whichever way it may be, as to whether ya want me in your gang or not, I'd appreciate it."

Blade looked the boy over.  He was wearing a dark grey sweatshirt and jeans of the same color.  Short black hair provided a sharp contrast to his pale skin.  His face, eyes obscured by a pair of sunglasses, held no expression whatsoever.

"Why do ya want to join us?" Blade asked.

"I got my reasons," the boy answered.  "I see no point to telling you."

Blade grinned.  "Ah.  I guess we might as well take ya.  What's your name, kid?"

There was a moment of silence, then he replied, "Glitch.  And you two here are Petal, whom I've already met, and Blade, the leader.  Where're the others?"

Petal shrugged, ignoring Blade's dangerous glare.  "Doesn't matter.  They'll be here soon enough."

Glitch said nothing more and seemed to disappear back into the shadows, his shady form blending in with the wall of the derelict house, hidden eyes watching every movement of his two new fellow gang members as Petal filled Blade in on what he had missed during his jail sentence.

A soft, relieved sigh came from the dark figure, though the others did not hear.  _So far, so good,_ he thought.  _And very good at that._

*          *          *

Tip leaned back and smiled, letting the morning breeze ruffle her hair.  Beside her, Cat laughed.  "Having a bit too much fun, Tip?"

Tip sighed.  "Probably.  I wonder if Spark's up yet."

Cat looked out over the water.  The sun was just rising, streaking purple, peach, and pink across the sky.  "She hardly ever misses the sunrise, does she?"

"And you hardly ever see it," Tip pointed out.  She winked at her friend.  "I guess today's just a _special_ day, huh?"

"I don't think I want to know what ya mean by that," Cat mumbled.  Suddenly she remembered the previous night.  "And hey, what did ya think you were doing, putting Yoyo right by me, and telling him it was the only place there was room?  What's up with that, huh?"

Tip grinned.  "I saw you two staring at each other.  It was hard to miss.  And besides, can you honestly say you wish I hadn't?"

Cat looked back at the rising sun, her cheeks matching the pink in the sky.  "I hate you," she told Tip.

"Thank you," Tip responded cheerfully.

"I'll get you back for that," Cat muttered.  "You just wait till Tab gets better."

"Don't you even think it!"

"Oh, like you really don't want me to either," Cat teased, enjoying the fact that she had reversed their positions.

"Shut up."

Cat decided to leave Tip alone before she managed to incriminate herself as well.  "Now we just gotta find a guy for Spark…"

*          *          *

Black Rose's skates slid to a stop.  "Where are we?"

"I don't think you need to know that," Wax replied as he stopped a few feet in front of her.  The sun was beginning to come out (though one could hardly tell in the residential zone), but Black Rose was becoming even more uncomfortable.

"What do you want, Wax?" she demanded.  "Tell me now, or I'm leaving.  You've wasted enough of—"

She was cut off by a half-gloved hand covering her mouth.  Recovering from her shock, she tried to bite her attacker, but an arm wrapped around her neck, and she began to gasp.  Glancing up at Wax, she saw to her horror that he was watching, a crooked smile on his face.  He had tricked her.

"I'm sorry, Black Rose, honestly I am," he told her as she tried unsuccessfully to free herself.  "But I swear, I got no other choice."  He nodded to the person holding Black Rose.  She had too brief of a moment to comprehend the motion before she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head.

Then everything seemed to go black.

*          *          *

Yoyo woke up gasping.  He knew instantly that his dream (or nightmare, rather) had been similar to Cat's, with the gang in black.  Except… his had had a strange girl in it, one he had never seen before. She had been struggling with one of the gang members, and then…  Yoyo shook his head.  Whatever was going on, it wasn't good at all.

He looked around, trying to catch his breath.  Tip, Cat, Spark, and Speed were gone.  Tab was still lying on the couch; whether he was asleep or not Yoyo was unable to tell.  He saw Half perched on the arm of the couch, staring at him, and smiled.

Yoyo was getting up when Half hissed.  Glancing at the small cat, Yoyo could see that he was hissing at Tab.

Yoyo picked Half up gently and looked down at Tab, who appeared to have just awakened.  "That's a creepy sight to wake up to," Tab said.

Yoyo grinned.  "Me or the cat?"

The leader of the GGs shrugged, then winced.  "Both."

Yoyo rolled his eyes.  "Thanks so much."  He let Half jump to the ground and shook his head down at his friend.  "You're an idiot, you know that?"

Tab nodded.  "Yup."

Yoyo laughed.  "What were ya doing in Bottom Point anyway?  You know how stupid that is."

"I got lost," Tab explained.  "It's not that hard."

Yoyo sighed.  "Let me rephrase that: what were you doing in the sewers at all?  Assuming it's something I wouldn't drastically mind hearin' about…"

"Trying to get away from the PGs," Tab admitted.

"The Prissy Girls?  What'd ya do this time?"

"Um, well, they've given me a warning about staying out of Rokkaku-Dai before, and you know what they do to guys the second time they catch 'em there…"

Yoyo grinned again.  "I don't know, maybe you could use a makeover."

Tab shut his eyes.  When he opened them again he growled, "Don't _even_ joke about that.  It's not funny."

"Okay, okay…  Hey, did you see that girl who seems to be Poison Jam's leader?"

Tab nodded.  "Yeah, she said her name was Cube… why?"

"Just curious," Yoyo replied.  "I'd never seen her before."

"There's a lot we don't know about the sewers and places past them," Tab muttered.  "I'd say we're happier that way.  I don't know 'bout you, but as soon as I can I'm getting out of here and going back home, where I know my way around."

"Are you sure?" Yoyo asked.  "You don't, for instance, want to stay awhile 'cause of a certain girl who saved your worthless life?"

Tab looked away, wishing he could punch his fellow GG.  "As usual, ya don't know what you're talking about, Yoyo."

"Maybe I don't.  Maybe I do.  Maybe you're just afraid I'm right.  Maybe that's why you're blushing.  Maybe we'll never find out.  Who knows?"

Tab ignored his friend, deciding to change the topic.  "Where's everyone else?"

To Tab's relief, Yoyo allowed the subject switch.  "I don't know, I just woke up too.  I guess they're morning people."  He paused.  "Hey, what's up with you and Speed, huh?  How did you guys know each other?"

Tab stiffened.  "Are you sure ya want to hear it?"

Yoyo nodded.

Sighing, Tab did not speak for what seemed to be a long time.  When he began, his voice was lower than its normal pitch and his words flowed swiftly, as though he couldn't get them out fast enough.

"Me and Speed…  We grew up in the same foster home in Dogenzaka Hill.  We were best friends, even though we're three years apart in age… then we fought over something, pretty badly.  I don't remember what it was; I was about ten years old then."  He took a deep breath and continued, "I left Dogenzaka and hung around Shibuya and Chuo for awhile, not really doing anything… then a couple years later I went to Ayame Street.  I met Gum there, and we formed the GGs.  You joined awhile after…"

Tab stopped speaking as suddenly as he had begun, then changed the subject once more.  "Why don't you go find Dark Storm and Speed?"  He smiled, as though having forgotten everything he had just said.  "You never know, you might just be the one staying here 'cause of a certain girl."

Yoyo turned pink.  "Wh-what are you talking about?"

Knowing then that he had assumed correctly, Tab gave his friend a wicked grin.  "I saw the way you were looking at Cat last night.  And you never moved more than a few feet from her.  Care to explain that?"

Yoyo turned too fast for Tab to see any more of a reaction.  "I, uh, guess I'll go see if I can find everyone.  Sure you'll be okay?"

"Of course," Tab assured him.  "If you leave me alone, that is."

Yoyo went up the ladder in a grind.  The grin remained on Tab's face as he watched his friend go.

_So Yoyo likes Cat,_ he mused.  _I never would've guessed it, but there it is… no matter what he tries to imply.  I, on the other hand…_  He stopped, his mind drawing a blank.  Shaking his head at himself, Tab closed his eyes.  He didn't intend to do any more thinking on that particular subject.


	9. Trouble from Within

(A/N:  Okay, I want to make sure something's clear: this is not a self-insertion fic; Cat is not me.  And neither is anyone else in here.  Okay then.)

Black Rose awoke with the thought that it sounded like the terrible Shibuya street band was trying to play a jazz piece in her head… except for the fact that the painful pounding in her ears had some kind of rhythm.  She found herself sitting on a chair in what appeared to be a dark, abandoned house.  She tried to stand, but her hands and skates were tied to the chair crosspieces.  An attempt to break the ropes proved that her captors had been quite careful with the knots.

A snicker told her that she was not alone in the room.  "Sorry," a soft voice addressed her, "but there ain't no chance of that."

Black Rose tried to breathe more slowly as she distinguished the sound of movement.  "Here," the voice continued, "I guess you'd like some light."

A light flickered on above Black Rose.  She looked to her right, where she had heard the noises, and assessed the boy sitting a few feet away from her.

He was skinny, about her age and height, with shaggy dark blonde hair just past his ears and, oddly, eyes that seemed to be of auburn color.  He wore black jeans and a sleeveless dark grey shirt with a gang symbol on it, the same as the one on Wax's back.  Black Rose stared at it, the fiery red outline making the upside-down black cross burn into her mind.

"Hey," he greeted.  "I'm not supposed to talk to you, but I'm gonna anyway."

The surprised look on her face made him grin.  "Not what you expected, huh?  …Oh, my name's Pulse," he informed her.  "I ain't supposed to tell ya that either."

"Why am I here?" Black Rose asked, voicing the most urgent question to come to her mind.  "Where's Wax?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.  "Wax?  Yeah, I assumed you two knew each other."  He cocked his head, studying her.  "Are you related?"

_Does it matter if he knows?  Probably not._  She nodded.

"To be honest… which is exactly what I ain't supposed to be doing… I don't know why you're here.  Wax set it up, but I guess ya knew that."

Black Rose continued to stare at Pulse.  "Why are you talking to me?"

He made a face.  "'Cause I gotta guard ya, so to speak.  I ain't gonna sit here bored outta my mind, 'specially since you're awake.  That'd be too creepy for me.  Besides, I don't care if I give away any 'vital information.'"

"Why not?" Black Rose inquired.  She didn't think she should be talking to him, but she was too curious.

He laughed without humor.  "I'm stuck here," he explained.  "I want out.  My gang and its… intentions… ain't something I'm comfortable with.  I can't leave, though, not with my life.  Or at least, not with a very happy life."

"Why did you join?" Black Rose asked, beginning to wonder if this boy might let her go.

Pulse laughed again, this time sounding regretful.  "Never mind that.  I ain't even supposed to be talking to you."

"I thought you didn't care," she reminded him.  "And if you really don't, why don't ya just let me go?"

"Sorry, honey.  I may not like my gang members, but I don't got a death wish here.  Now I think we both better shut up before someone decides to come in here and slit your throat.  Mine too, for that matter."  He shrugged, then lapsed into silence.

Black Rose sighed to herself.  "Wait," she said after a moment.  "One thing Wax would never tell me… what's your gang's name?"

Pulse flipped disobedient hair out of his eyes.  "Us?  We're Bloody Murder."

*          *          *

Hand faced Blue Flame, Star, and Snap, the pale morning light of Hikage Street venturing over the tall buildings around the group.  "Guys," he addressed them, deciding to break the news as quickly as possible, "I think Black Rose is in trouble."

He observed their reactions.  Blue Flame's blue eyes went wide; Star's mouth fell open.  Snap stopped staring at Blue Flame and looked at Hand.

Drawing in a deep breath, Hand continued, "Black Rose got a phone call last night, or rather, early this morning.  She wouldn't tell me who it was, but…  I think it was Wax."

Blue Flame's face darkened and she swore under her breath.  "Please tell me she didn't go to see him."

Hand shook his head.  "I can't tell ya anything.  She didn't want to tell me where she was going."  He felt personally to blame.  "I shouldn't have let her go."

"That," Blue Flame pointed out, "is now irrelevant.  We gotta go find her… as soon as possible."

Dazed, Hand nodded.  He still couldn't believe he had let Black Rose go alone, but it had been early and…  _Forget it,_ he told himself as he took off toward Ayame Street, the other three just behind him.  _There's just no excuse for being that stupid._

Blue Flame skated up beside him.  "Don't take it so hard," she whispered, as if having read his thoughts.  "There wasn't anything ya could've done.  This has happened before, remember?  To Black Rose, Wax is still the same half-brother she used to be so close to.  She just can't accept how much he's changed since he last fit that description."

*          *          *

"Some place ya got here," Speed commented, looking over the same sunrise Tip and Cat had been watching.  He grinned at his sister, sitting beside him on the rooftops.  "So, how's life been to you in the past couple years, Sparky?"

"Told ya not to call me that… Speedy."

"Touché.  Spark.  So how've you been?"

Spark smiled.  "Pretty good, I guess.  Tip and Cat are cool, but it's been kinda empty without you.  You're gonna stay, right?"

Speed did not meet her gaze.  "I'm leaving, Spark."

The words came without thought.  "Then I'll go with you."

Speed shook his head, still avoiding her eyes.  "You'll stay here.  Your friends need you.  Besides, I have no idea where I'll go.  You're better off—"

"I don't _care_ where I'm better off!" Spark returned, her voice growing louder.  "You were always overprotective, Speed.  If I should stay here, why don't you stay too?"  She realized too late that she needed to think about what she was saying, but the words kept escaping her mouth before she could catch them.  "I'm sure Tip would let you join Dark Storm.  We could use another member; things are getting tougher all the time out here.  You saw what almost happened yesterday…"

Speed stared at her.  "You're kidding, right?  Join your gang?  I, uh, I don't think Tip would want me with you guys," he mumbled, trying to think of an excuse.

"Of course she would," Spark argued.  She stood and grabbed her brother's hand, dragging him up with her.  "Come on, we can go ask her."

"Spark, I don't think this is a good idea," Speed told her.  His words did not slow Spark as she released him and jumped on a wire, grinding to where Cat and Tip sat atop a larger, separated building overlooking the water.  Heaving a sigh, Speed followed.

"Tip!" Spark called as she reached the building and hopped off.  Speed jumped after her as she asked, "Would you let Speed join Dark Storm?"

Tip looked from Spark to Speed and laughed.  "Of course.  I mean, I just assumed that…"  She stopped, then glanced at Speed.  "I just assumed he would.  We could sure use another member, 'specially with those weird kids hanging around the residential zone."

Speed shook his head and looked down at the ground, then back up at the two girls in front of him.  "Are you sure?"

Tip nodded.  "If you are.  Oh, and first, you should know that being a member of Dark Storm means that Cat and I will mock you on a regular basis.  We'll also probably play an 'occasional' practical joke.  It's fun for us, but not for you.  Ya still want to join, you're welcome to.  Of course, you'll have to pass some tests first, but you can be… uh… an honorary member until we get a chance."

Speed grinned.  "I think I can handle all of that."

"Dude, you're dense," Cat commented.

Tip leaned back and grinned at Cat.  "We are gonna have _fun_ with him."

"Oh, yes," Cat agreed, an evil smile on her face.  Her manner turned serious as she gazed over the water.  "Hey, where're Yoyo and Tab?"

"I don't know," Tip answered, "but Tab had better be lying on that couch recovering, or I'll have to hurt him myself."

A soft laugh came from behind them, along with the noise of skates grinding down a wire.  "No worries on that, yo."

"Well," Spark put in helpfully, "here's Yoyo."

Yoyo was grinning.  "I heard most of that.  Congratulations, Speed.  Ya got yourself a good gang.  As an _honorary_ member, that is."

Speed laughed and smiled at Spark.  "Lucky me."

Yoyo turned to Tip.  "For reference, Tab hasn't moved."  His grin grew wider.  "Maybe you should go check on him, Tip."

Tip said nothing, but her cheeks turned pink.  "Come to think of it," she responded, surprising everyone, "maybe I will."  Standing, she skated off.  "Oh, and Spark," she called back, "you and Speed should go catch up somewhere… give these two a little privacy."  She winked at Cat, whose fiercely flushed face matched Yoyo's.

Tip laughed all the way back to Dark Storm's home.

*          *          *

Blade surveyed the four members of his gang (minus Pulse): his brother Ellipse, Petal, Wax, and the new addition Glitch.  He shook his head to himself, wondering if any of them would survive the day.  _Don't matter.  It's now or never._

"Ready?" he asked them.  There were general nods; a vehement one from Wax, a curt one from Glitch.  They were as ready as they'd ever be.

"Someone get Pulse," he ordered, waiting as Wax obeyed.  "Who wants to stay here and guard the girl?"

"I will," Glitch volunteered, surprising all present.  "I'm sure all of you are better at turf war than I am.  I ain't exactly experienced in the field."

Wax returned with Pulse, who reported that their captive was asleep.  Blade nodded his approval.  "Wax, why is it again that we don't kill her?"

"We aren't killin' her," Wax said.  "Glitch can follow us after about ten minutes… by then it won't matter if she gets away or not."  _By then Hand will have figured it out and come after her,_ he continued silently.  _And then he's mine._

"Are ya sure about this, Blade?" Petal asked, her voice wavering.  "I don't know if—"

"I'm sure," Blade interrupted her.  "We have weapons, they don't; how can we lose?  If ya don't come out alive… well, that ain't my problem.  If you're afraid, don't come.  But don't dare question my orders, or you're gonna regret it."

"Blade, I really don't think—" Petal tried again.

"Shut up, Petal," he warned, face flushing with anger.  "Or I'll hurt you, I swear."

"But I—"

True to his word, Blade brought the back of his fist hard across her face.  She yelped and stumbled back, a hand raised to her cheek, which was turning a bright pink.

"Don't hit her!" Pulse yelled, running up and positioning himself between Petal and Blade.  Blade looked the smaller boy up and down, wearing a skeptical expression.

"All right," he agreed after a moment.  "Then I'll hit you."  Without any further warning, he dealt Pulse a solid punch in the stomach.

Blade stepped back as Pulse lost his balance and fell forward to his knees, the breath expelled instantly from his body.  He was placing his open hands on the ground and gasping for air when the front wheel of Blade's skate came swiftly up into his face.  The connection was audible as it nailed him in the mouth, flipping his small frame backwards.  He landed hard on his back, blood in his wake.

Ellipse was watching wide-eyed; Wax seemed to be hiding a smile.  Glitch's face was emotionless as always, shadowed black glasses eerily mirroring the reddish color that was filling his view.  Pulse rolled onto his side as Blade stepped over him, shaking his head.

"I knew you were pretty stupid, Pulse," he remarked.  "I just didn't know exactly how stupid."  He glanced up at Petal, then back to his bleeding henchman.  "She ain't worth it, ya know…  But, of course, it's too late now."  Grinning, he placed one heavy skate on Pulse's chest, trapping him against the ground.

"Stop!"  Petal was crying.  She ran over and grabbed Blade's arm, the red mark still visible on her cheek.  "Don't hurt him, Blade.  He didn't mean nothin'."

He glanced at her.  "Really.  What makes ya think this's about you?"  He turned his attention to the girl at his side.  "He's opposed me on everything I've done since I got here, and ya think this's about _you_?"

Unconstrained tears were slipping down Petal's face.  "You said I ain't worth it.  Don't ya care about me at all anymore, Slow?"  Her face turned ashen as she realized that she had made a fatal mistake.  "I mean, um—"

But Blade was not willing to let it pass.  He raised his skate and let Pulse go, deciding to deal with him later.  The injured boy did not move; he appeared to be having plenty of trouble breathing.  Blade glared at Petal.  "What did you just call me?"

"I, uh," Petal stammered.  _You called him by his old name, you moron,_ her mind seemed to sing.  _You've seen what happens to people who make that mistake…_  "See, what I meant was—"

In less than a second Blade's knife was in his hand, its point touching Petal's throat.  "What?  What did you mean?" he asked, his voice softer and more dangerous than ever.

Petal squeezed her eyes shut, tears sliding out on both sides.  "Please don't hurt me," she whimpered.

Blade became aware of Ellipse's hand on his shoulder.  "Blade," he whispered, "we ain't got time for this."

Silently cursing his younger, more sensible brother, Blade withdrew his knife from the quivering Petal.  She dropped to her knees, sobbing.  Blade gave her a disgusted look, then turned to Pulse.

Hauling the barely-conscious boy up by the front of his shirt, Blade grabbed Pulse's right arm and twisted it around.  "See this?" he demanded, indicating the black-and-red design tattooed on Pulse's shoulder.  "That's _my_ symbol.  Ya got it there 'cause you're part of _my_ gang.  That was your choice, not mine.  It's too late for you to go back now, so now ya got one more chance and one more choice.  Either you shut up and do what I tell ya, or I'll kill you right here, right now.  What's it gonna be, kid?"

Pulse had closed his eyes and was trying unsuccessfully not to listen.  Blade gave him a rough shake and he coughed up blood once more, almost in tears.  A thin trail of dark red trickled down the side of Pulse's mouth as he spat a tooth onto the ground, muttering semi-coherently, "Whatever you say, master."

Blade's fist opened and dropped Pulse to the ground, where he lay panting.  "You remember that, kid," Blade growled, ignoring Pulse's foolish sarcasm.  "I ain't gonna be so forgiving again.  I gave my gang its name for a reason."  He gave Ellipse a deadened stare.  "Are ya happy now?"

Ellipse shrugged and said nothing; usually, he knew, the safest thing to do when his brother was angry.  And he was angry at the moment.

Wax was grinning as Blade stalked off.  "That was hilarious."

Glitch turned wordlessly, leaving for his guard duty.  Frowning, Ellipse watched him go.  There was something odd about Glitch, something that didn't seem right…  Ellipse hadn't heard him speak a word since his arrival, which had been only a few hours ago, but Wax and Pulse had rarely stopped talking.  That, and he seemed somehow… familiar…

Shaking his head, Ellipse glanced down at Petal, who was still weeping, then at Pulse, who seemed to be in a semiconscious state.  His gaze moved to his older brother.

"Blade," he said under his breath, "you are such an _idiot_."

(A/N: *evil laugh* Hey, that was fun!  Tell me, great Lotus-sama, master of hurting characters, how did I do? ^_^)

*          *          *__

_Voices, faint, skates on the ground… closer now… someone's coming in…_

Black Rose's eyes opened from her sleep, and she looked up at the sound of the door opening.  "Who are you?" she asked, trying her hardest to sound calm and awake as she studied her new guard.  He was taller and looked older than Pulse (and about twice his size), and wore a dark grey sweatshirt and dark grey jeans.  Sunglasses blocked any view she might have had of his face.

"Shhh," he ordered, his voice low.  He glanced at her.  "So you're Black Rose."

Black Rose stared at him.  "Yes, I am.  Who're you?"

"Glitch."  His gaze turned toward the door.  "Be quiet until they've gone."

Confused, Black Rose said nothing more.  She saw, though, that Glitch wore no noticeable gang symbol: no visible tattoos, no markings on his sweatshirt…

"They're out," Glitch informed her.  He turned to Black Rose and pulled a knife out of his left sleeve.  She didn't have time to be afraid before he cut the ropes on her arms.

"Hold still," he commanded when she jerked away.  "I'm not gonna hurt you."  He slit the ropes on her feet, and she jumped up.

"Hey!  Hang on a minute."  He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back as she tried to bolt for the door.

"Or what?" Black Rose demanded.  "You'll slash me?"  _Why am I sweating?  And my head hurts…_  It was then that the fear and confusion of the day caught up to her, and she staggered forward.  Only Glitch's grip on her arm kept her standing.  Embarrassed, she forced herself to stand on her own, pushing him away.

As for Glitch, he seemed to be getting annoyed.  "Just listen to me, okay?  If you go out now, they'll catch you anyway."  Releasing her, he skated backwards until he stood in front of the door, effectively blocking Black Rose's only escape route.

"First of all," he began, "I already know your name is Black Rose, and you're the leader of the Romantic Energies of Hikage Street.  Right?"

Black Rose nodded, wondering how that was relevant.  _Actually, it probably isn't._

"Okay, then," Glitch murmured.  He thought for a moment.  "What relation do you have to that little jerk Wax?"

"He's my half-brother," Black Rose replied.  She was also beginning to get irritated.  "Why?"

"Stop getting mad at me, this's important.  Does Wax hate anyone in your gang?  …Or like anyone?"

Black Rose was becoming even more confused.  _Yes, he hates Hand; and Blue Flame I'm not sure of…_  "Yeah, I guess…"

Then," Glitch continued, "he or she is in danger."  He paused.  "Blade and the others should be gone by now.  Come with me."  He stepped away from the door and opened it, stopping in the doorway to add, "Please, just trust me… or both of us are gonna regret it." 

*          *          *

Tab looked up as Tip came grinding down the ladder into the home of her gang.  "Hey," he greeted her.  "Where're the others?"

"Well, when I left, Cat and Yoyo were watching the end of the sunrise, and Spark and Speed were just leaving them _alone_," Tip replied, attaching a singsong tone to the last word.  She smiled at him.  "How ya feelin'?"

"A lot better. I think I should try getting up tomorrow."

Tip's face saddened.  "Then you'll be leaving."

He looked away.  "Yeah, I guess so.  I need to get back to my gang.  They still don't know where I am."

Tip sighed as she sat on the floor next to the couch.  "Too bad."

"Yeah."

There was an awkward silence, then Tip spoke.  "So… where do the GGs live?  I don't go through the sewers very often myself.  Dark Storm isn't aggressive when it comes to turf; we just defend what we have.  Where are you guys?"

Tab seemed embarrassed.  "We're near an old factory… just off Ayame Street."

Tip raised her eyebrows.  "Ayame, huh?  Home to the HGs, if I'm not mistaken."

Tab sighed.  "Yup.  Hopefully not for long.  They have seven members, and we just got our seventh member awhile ago.  Pretty soon we'll probably challenge 'em."

"Really… Ayame is Cat's hometown, ya know."

"Is it?"  Tab had a sudden thought.  "Where're you from?"

"Me?"  Tip grinned.  "You're looking at a proud Kibogaoka native.  And you're from Dogenzaka, right?"

"Yeah… well, not originally, I don't think.  I was born somewhere in the Shibuya area, or so I assume.  I really don't know.  I'd have to ask my original parents, whatever happened to them…"

_Okay, obviously he doesn't want to talk about that._  Tip changed the subject, something she was good at.  "And Spark and Speed are both from Dogenzaka?"

"As far as I know.  There were these other kids there, in the foster home…  Speed had a friend about his age, who had a younger brother.  They all used to take off skating together when I was still considered too young to go.  Spark had a friend there too, a girl who called herself… what was it… Petal.  I don't know what happened to her.  I always thought she was kinda messed up, but…"  He shrugged.  

Tip decided it was time for another good old-fashioned subject change.  "What about the rest of your gang?"

Tab laughed.  "What about 'em?"

"Well, what're they like?"

"I don't know if ya want to hear it," Tab muttered.  "But let's see.  I started the gang with my friend Gum.  She's real cool."  He grinned.  "You'd like her…  Then there's Yoyo.  He joined pretty quick after we started up.  He's, well, interesting.  No one seems to know much about him, and he doesn't exactly tell much."

"Yes, I've noticed that," Tip commented, thinking of Cat.  "Who else is there?"

"Well," Tab continued, making a face, "there's this little freak who calls himself Beat.  He joined us after Yoyo, just 'cause Gum said to give him a chance.  He thinks he'll become the leader of the GGs."  His face darkened.  "I'll kill him first."

He shrugged.  "Anyway, let's see…  After Beat we got Combo, then Mew, and then last we got Garam."

Tip looked surprised.  "With that many people, you haven't made it past the sewers yet?"

"We haven't really tried, and I don't intend to anymore, after my… uh… run-in with Poison Jam.  Garam was hanging around the sewers when we found him, but I think he was just trying to cause trouble with the PGs."

Tip laughed.  "I see.  Who are these PGs anyway?  I've heard about them, but I've never met 'em."

"They're the ones who chased me into the sewers in the first place," Tab admitted.  "The Prissy Girls of Rokkaku-Dai Heights…  They wear all pink and their graffiti is all daisies and junk like that.  They catch a guy on their turf… let's just say it ain't pretty.  Unless it's a guy who wants a makeover."

Tip tried not to laugh and did a passable job.  "What about… who was it… the Love Shockers?"

Tab shuddered.  "They're even worse.  If they catch a guy, well, they'll kill him when they're done with him…"  He grimaced.  "They've been after me for almost a year, ever since I accepted a dare to tag up their base in Hikage.  They did catch me once; I barely escaped with my life and…"  He stopped, for obvious reasons.  "I heard there's some other gang starting up there.  The Romantic Energies or something."

"Romantic Energies, huh?  Lovely name.  Ever met any of 'em?"

Tab shook his head.  "We're still new, so we stay pretty much in our garage, sometimes go spray Ayame Street or the Shibuya Terminal, just for the fun of it."

Tip thought for a moment.  "Who's in the Terminal?  Isn't it pretty dangerous, as far as the Rokkaku Police go?"

"Yeah… the BGs live there.  They're too stupid and weak to find anywhere else."

"The BGs?"

Tab laughed.  "They're new too, a jazz street band, or so they call themselves.  They're all total trash 'cept the trumpet player, and I don't know what he's doing with 'em.  The Police don't give them much trouble, since they hardly ever spray anything.  They're more concerned with damaging everyone's ears."

Tip grinned.  "For staying in your garage all the time, you know a fair amount about the other gangs in your area.  We're really pretty sheltered… the only gang we see much of is Poison Jam and Cube."

"What about the fortified residential zone?  Isn't there anyone there?"

Tip thought of Cat, and of the dream her friend had told her about.  "Yeah, but they're so new I haven't seen them.  I don't know."  She frowned.  "But for some reason I think Speed and Spark know something about 'em they're not telling me…"

(A/N: That was boring… yeah.  Oh, and the BGs are _not_ named after the Bee Gees.  And yes, I've made up a _lot_ of characters.  Most aren't relevant to the story, just weird things only my offline friends would understand.  So just ignore them. Everybody bored now?  Perfect.  Then we can move on…)

*          *          *

"What _is_ that?" Snap complained as he followed Hand, Blue Flame, and Star through the Shibuya Terminal.  "Is someone getting strangled here?"

"No, but I can take care of that," Hand grumbled.  Aloud he said, "Shut up, Snap.  We're almost out."

Even Hand, however, had to admit that the terrible noise was already getting on his nerves.  He had heard stories about an awful street band that had taken up residence in Shibuya, but he hadn't taken them seriously until now.

"Come on, guys," Blue Flame encouraged her friends.  "After this all we've got is Ayame, Rokkaku-Dai, and—"

Snap stopped.  "Rokkaku-Dai?  B-but… what about the PGs?"

The other three stopped as well.  "You're scared of them?" Blue Flame demanded.  "They're PGs!"

"Easy for you to say," Snap retorted.  "You're a girl.  If they catch you, they won't give you a makeover or beat you up or toss you in the water or…"

Hand rolled his eyes.  "Well, we have to go through Ayame Street, and no girl is necessarily safe there."

Blue Flame almost punched him.  Star skated backwards a bit until she was next to Snap.  "We have to go through Ayame?  But, what about the HGs?  They're creepy…"

Blue Flame gave Hand an annoyed look.  "Come on, Star, we'll be fine.  They won't even know we're there."

"Oh, let them stay here," Hand told Blue Flame, raising his voice over the increasing volume of the street band.  "They can listen to this."  He gestured into the air, indicating the "musical" din.

"All right," Blue Flame conceded.  "We have to keep moving.  Who knows where Black Rose is, and what they might be doing to her…"

Hand winced, and a loud blast that sounded vaguely like a trombone made the other three do the same.  "Okay, I'll go," Star gave in.  "I'm not staying here."  She skated up to Blue Flame and Hand, followed by a reluctant Snap.  "But if we see the HGs, I'm making a run for it."

"They're the HGs," Blue Flame pointed out.  "They've got better things to do, like hit on every girl in sight.  All we gotta do is stay outta their sight.  Now come on… we need to find Black Rose."

*          *          *

Cat shifted uncomfortably.

For about three minutes she and Yoyo had sat in complete silence.  Tip had gone off to "check on" Tab.  Spark and Speed, taking Tip's very obvious hint, had also left the immediate area.  Yoyo had sat down a few feet away from Cat, who was trying to decide how best to get back at Tip.

"Look, Yoyo," she began hesitantly.  "I'm really sorry about Tip, she's—"

"Hey, it's okay," he told her, his voice sounding much more casual than hers.  "I should be the one apologizing."  _Not every girl's unfortunate enough to have her best friend try to set her up with… well, me._

Cat shook her head.  Yoyo was male, but he could still be sweet.  "You don't have to," she whispered, instantly hoping he hadn't heard.  A disbelieving laugh informed her that that hope was useless.

"Yeah, right."  Yoyo pulled himself up next to her, which she found more than a bit unsettling.

"So," she said after a moment, "how's the weather?"

Again he laughed, but this time it was one of amusement.  "This," he remarked seriously, "is too perfect of a time to be talking about the weather, yo."

Cat looked at him, a bit confused by his words.  "Huh?"

He slid his arm around her shoulders.  "Do you mind?" he asked in a soft voice.  _Please don't say yes.  Please please please…_

Cat's thoughts were quite different.  _Say yes,_ her mind was begging.  _If you say yes, he'll leave.  Come on, say anything that will get him as far away from you as possible.  Anything!_

"Of course not," she answered, cursing silently.  _Well, at least I told the truth._  She leaned her head against Yoyo's shoulder, and the two watched as the sun continued its journey upward.

*          *          *

The five skaters stopped in front of the pipe that led from the Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility to its Bottom Point.  Turning to his gang, Blade gave his orders.  "All right, guys.  We go through Bottom Point, then cut back and take Ayame, then we come back and go to Kibogaoka.  If that's successful, we'll hold all of the sewer area plus the central point of the city, and we can take it from there.  This is just to stir everything up a bit.  Kill anyone who tries to interfere; leave everyone else alone.  Got it?"

Bloody Murder nodded.  "What about other gangs?" asked Wax.

Blade grinned.  "See if they'll join us.  If not, kill 'em.  …And you, kid," he addressed Pulse, "you better not do anything stupid, got it?"

Pulse gave him a slow nod, doing a fair job of containing his anger.  It had been a short while since the… incident, but the pain had not come close to decreasing.  His lower lip was cut badly and refused to stop bleeding, he was missing a tooth or two, and his stomach hurt where he had taken Blade's punch.  He had spent the past ten minutes dreaming of Blade's death.  Unconsciously his half-gloved hands clenched into fists, the attached metal claws on the glove of his left hand digging into his knuckles.  It felt good, some kind of pain he had control over…

"If you try anything," Blade warned him, "I'm slittin' your throat on the spot." He turned to the others before skating off.  "Let's get going.  It's turf war now."

*          *          *

Tapping the heel of her skate against the roof, Spark sighed.  Speed looked up from beside her.  "What?"

"Speed, I… I know you don't want to hear this, but I gotta know… did ya hear from Slow at all after I left?"

For a long time he did not answer.  "No," he said finally.  "Slow… he deserved what he got, okay?  Leave it at that.  There's no reason to—"

"Speed," Spark interrupted him, "I think he might be out."

Her brother stopped mid-sentence.  "What?  You're not serious, are ya?"

Spark spoke quickly, as unhappy about the subject as Speed was.  "Come on, Speed, would I joke about that?"  She shook her head and kicked at the edge of the roof.  "Cat said she saw some kids in the residential zone, through the sewers… wearing black and dark grey, with knives and guns and stuff.  I'd bet anything he's part of it."  She sighed again.  "I think Petal might be there too."

"Petal?!  That—"

Several fitting names for her former friend ran through Spark's mind, none of which she wanted to hear spoken aloud; so she cut in before Speed could say one of those terms.  "I know, I know.  Don't say it, okay?"

He obeyed.  "So now Slow's out.  And ya think he went to the fortified residential zone?"

"If he is out, he's probably part of that gang.  And so's Petal.  And Stride; you know the brothers are never far apart."  Spark looked at her own brother.  "And if they are there… they'll be lookin' for you, and maybe me too."

"You're right," he muttered.  "Have you actually seen 'em?"

"No… but we could go check the residential zone ourselves."

Speed raised his dark eyebrows.  "We'd have to tell Tip and Cat."

Spark gave him a look that quite accurately suggested that he would not like what she was about to say.  "Not necessarily.  I don't want to get them involved in this mess.  We could be back before they notice we're gone…"

(A/N: Okay, uh… I just want to know if people are reading this at all.  Even if you have nothing to comment about, reviewing to say "I read it" would work for me…  One last thing: Jessi, did you get my e-mail?  I just want to make sure it got sent.)


	10. Love and War (Mostly War)

(A/N: To Nik: The Romantic Energies couldn't split up because they had to go through _both_ Ayame and Rokkaku-Dai…  Ayame Street basically takes the place of the garage, except it's also connected to Hikage.  Eh, I'm too stupid to explain… sorry…)

Hand hurried through Ayame Street mumbling curses, most of which were directed at Wax, some of which were directed at himself.

"Hand," Blue Flame warned.  She was moving as fast as he was, a few feet behind him.  Star and Snap were doing their best to keep up, though Star was on a frantic lookout for the HGs.

"Here we go," Hand called.  "This is to Rokkaku-Dai.  Let's go, guys."

Snap whimpered, but he followed as the other three skated off.

"Come on, Snap," Blue Flame forced herself to say.  "If Star can make it through Ayame, you can make it through Rokkaku-Dai.  Besides, what do you really think will happen there?"

But she had the annoying feeling that her words were about to make her look stupid.

*          *          *

Glitch waved at Black Rose.  "Hang on," he told her.  "Don't go off and get yourself killed, okay?  I'll just be a minute.  Ya gotta trust me."

Black Rose obeyed, sitting down on a pipe.  They weren't yet out of the fortified residential zone, and her new traveling partner apparently had something to do.

She watched him as he skated a few feet away and pulled a cell phone out of his oversized sweatshirt.  He dialed a number, waited for a moment, then spoke: "Hello?"

He leaned against the wall, expressionless.  "I need to talk to Quip.  Is she there?"  There was a pause.  "I know.  Tell her it's Glitch."

There was a moment of silence, then he continued, "Hey, sis.  I need your help."

Black Rose looked up with more interest.  She had never heard of anyone named Quip, but she had never heard of Glitch until that day either.  Could this strange boy have a _sister_?  She hadn't even been sure he was human.

"Yeah, he's gone.  I think he was going to the sewers…"  His paused to listen to something the other person was saying.  "And there's this girl," he went on, turning to Black Rose.  "I'm not sure what they wanted with her, but they had her tied up and all… yeah, of course I let her go.  You know me better than that.  She's with me now."

He laughed, surprising Black Rose.  "Okay… meet me in Ayame.  Don't tell the others, except Quo if you need her; I don't want them getting hurt.  This is war, and it's gonna be bad.  Blade and the others are armed, so remember what I told you… see ya."  He hung up, then turned to Black Rose.  "Let's go."

"What was that all about?" she asked.  "Who were you talking to?"

"My sister Quip," he replied, skating off.  Black Rose followed as he added, "She's coming to help."

"Help with what?" Black Rose inquired, feeling confused and a bit scared.  "What is it?  What's going on?"

Glitch did not turn as he answered, "Bloody Murder."

*          *          *

(A/N: Last chance to get away before my annoying made-up characters kill you…)

Quip replaced the cell phone in her pocket and looked around Sky Dinosaurian Square, her heart pounding.  She glanced at her gang members, who were alternately spraying the backs of random people and racing around the roller-coaster tracks.  Quip sighed and called to her best friend, who was participating in the former action.  "Quo!  Get over here!"

The dark-skinned girl skated over, looking annoyed at the interruption.  "What?"

Quip's voice dropped to a whisper.  "Remember me telling you about that gang in the fortified residential zone?"

Quo frowned.  "The one your brother joined?  The psychotic one?"

Rolling her black eyes, Quip replied, "Yeah, that one.  They've declared war on every gang in Tokyo.  Glitch said they're gonna go through the sewers to Ayame.  If they can defeat Poison Jam, they'll hold each branch of the sewers.  Except Kibogaoka, that is, and they'll probably head there next."

"So are ya gonna tell the others?"

"No.  They'd want to come, and it's too dangerous."

"Thanks for being so concerned for _my_ safety, but whatever.  Let's go then."  Quo turned and began skating off, followed by her friend. "If those jerks take the Tokyo Underground, we've got a problem on our hands…"

(A/N: Yes, I _know_ street kids aren't likely to have cell phones.  If you want to know why Quip and Glitch do, e-mail me and I'll tell you; but as of now I'm not saying anything, since it might come up at some other point in time…)

*          *          *

Blade shook his head down at the bloody mess that was somewhat still a member of Poison Jam lying at his feet.  He mumbled several curses at the monster, then turned to Petal behind him.  She was standing over the other two members of Poison Jam, both equally beaten and both unconscious.  "Where's the girl?"

"She got away," Petal reported.  "Ellipse is chasing her.  They went down that pipe."

Blade grinned.  "He can handle her.  Where's the little freak?"

Petal nodded sideways at Pulse, who was spraying the gang's symbol on the wall.  "Finishing that graffiti there."

"Good.  And Wax went on ahead to Rokkaku-Dai, right?"  

"Yeh."

Blade looked around at the walls streaked in black and red paint.  "We're pretty much done here.  Let's wait a bit for Ellipse, then we can move on."

"I don't know," Petal murmured.  "He might be awhile…"

"True," Blade agreed.  "Come on, kid," he called to Pulse.  "Let's get out of here."  Followed by Pulse and Petal, he skated out through the pipe to Rokkaku-Dai Heights.

*          *          *

A loud, long series of curses echoed through Bottom Point as Cube skated like mad down the familiar pipes of her home.  The boy wasn't far behind her.

He and his gang had showed up out of nowhere and attacked the members of Poison Jam.  Cube had watched as her three underlings fell, powerless against the superior strength and weaponry of the mysterious gang.  Then one of them, a boy who appeared about her age, had given Cube a look that made her sick to her stomach, and she had instinctively turned and skated for her life.

There are worse fates even than death… 

"I ain't goin' down without a fight," she muttered.

"You can't run forever," the boy called after her.  "Give it up."

"You wish!" she shouted back.  "Only if you can catch me!"  She skated harder, desperation giving her strength.

Ellipse bit his lower lip and picked up his own pace.  She was a tough one, but that wasn't going to stop him.  Blade and the others could and would go on without him.

"I'll catch you soon enough," he yelled.  "And when I do, I'll make you sorry!"

*          *          *

"What in the…?"

Hand stopped dead and stared at the grinning boy twenty feet from him, standing amidst the abandoned houses of Rokkaku-Dai Heights.  He was dressed in a long-sleeved dark grey shirt and black jeans.  Hand glared at him for a few seconds, then the boy spoke.

"Well, Hand, it's been awhile," Wax began, sounding as though he were giving a rehearsed speech.  His gaze flickered to Blue Flame.  "Why, hello there.  It really _has_ been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Shut up, Wax," Blue Flame responded sweetly.  "Hand, let's go."

"I'm staying here," Hand said in a low voice.  "If I don't, none of us will make it through the sewers."

Blue Flame, Snap, and Star all stared at him.  "What are you talking about?" Blue Flame asked.  "Let's go!"

Wax advanced toward the group.

"Get out of here!" Hand shouted, seeing Wax's movement.  Blue Flame stared at him, then turned and skated off toward the sewers.  Confused and frightened, Star and Snap followed.

Wax laughed, watching as they left.  When they had gone he told Hand, "Ya know, the rest of my gang's in the sewers right now… those three are probably gonna run right into 'em."

Hand exploded into curses, trying to go after the rest of the Romantic Energies.  Wax blocked his way, and Hand stopped five feet away from him.  "You little…  If any of them get hurt, I swear I'll kill you!"

Wax laughed again.  "I'm so scared.  You're not such a tough guy without the rest of your gang.  And without my retarded sister Black Rose."

"Where is she?" Hand demanded through clenched teeth.  "If she's hurt, I swear, I'm gonna kick your little—"

Wax took a wild swing at Hand, catching him off guard.  Hand stumbled back, blood pouring from his nose, then charged at the other boy.

Wax dodged Hand just in time and went for him with his knife, slashing him hard across the chest.  Turning, Hand grabbed Wax's wrist before it could reach him again.  Twisting the captured wrist around, Hand wrestled the pocketknife from Wax's grip and jerked it up, stopping less than an inch from Wax's throat.

"Heh," Wax muttered, feeling a wall against his back.  "You've gotten quicker."

"Maybe," Hand replied, breathing hard.  His collar was getting soaked in red, turning the upper part of his green shirt to brown.  "Or maybe you've gotten slower."

"Or maybe," Wax returned, "you've just gotten stupider…"  He brought his knee up into Hand's stomach, knocking him to the ground.  The knife, moving upward, cut Wax from his chin to his lower lip before it clattered to the ground at his feet.  Wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand, Wax grabbed his knife and stood over Hand, who seemed to have gotten the wind knocked out of him.

"So much for that," Wax sneered down at him.  "You deserve this…"  He kicked Hand hard in the side.  Hand groaned and rolled over.  Wax kicked him again, laughing.  "Get up and fight me, Hand.  If you can."

He waited as Hand pushed himself up, green eyes darkened with hatred.  He again went after Wax, who stepped out of the way, his knife ripping once more through the front of Hand's shirt.  Hand staggered and fell to the side, clutching his wounded chest.  Warm red liquid enveloped his fingers as he hit the dusty ground.

_I'm gonna die.  I'm gonna die and then Black Rose will be on her own, and Blue Flame and Snap and Star will be too, and I'll never see Black Rose again, and I can't even tell her goodbye, and…_  Hand closed his eyes.__

_And maybe worst of all…  Wax will win…_

*          *          *

The skates scraped along the bottom of the sewer pipe.  Star forced herself to stay completely still inside the small pipe.  Already claustrophobia was setting in, and the metal was cold through her jeans and against her bare arms.  Snap had crawled into the pipe before her, and she could hear him breathing.

_I hope Blue Flame hid in time,_ Star thought.  Her own breathing sounded loud in her ears, like it always did in books and lame fanfiction.  The noises stopped and her heart danced faster, then an unfamiliar female voice spoke.

"Is it just me, or—"

A curse bit the air in the voice of a boy.  "Petal, do you _mind_?  We can't go twenty feet without you complaining that there's someone here."

A pair of skates stopped in front of the pipe.  Star heard Snap whimper behind her.  There was a pause, and Star resisted the urge to kick Snap in the face.

"If no one's here, then what was that?"

Another curse.  "Nothing, Petal, now let's go!  Wax isn't near smart or strong enough to handle anyone, no matter what he says.  Come on, before I—"

"Leave her alone," another boy interrupted.

The first boy laughed.  "What're you gonna do about it, kid?  You know what happens when you mess with me once, so shut up and move unless you want to find out what happens the second time."

"Blade, you got no right to—"

Star winced at the echoing smack, most likely of someone's hand meeting someone else's cheek—but _hard_.  Skates slipped on the wet ground, and Star shrank back from the pipe opening when a boy landed just in front of it.  To her relief, he scrambled back up, but not before a few drops of blood had spilled where he had been.

"Learn some respect, kid," Blade laughed.  "That's a warning.  Let's go."

The confident tone of his voice made Star bite her lower lip as the skates moved on.  Neither she nor Snap dared to move until the noises faded.  They remained motionless until Blue Flame's voice shouted, "Guys!  Quick!"

Star wriggled out of the pipe, Snap crawling out after her.  Both gasped when they saw their friend.

Blue Flame was kneeling beside one of the fallen members of Poison Jam.  He was splattered with blood, and it took her a moment to find any sign of life.  "He's okay," she told Snap and Star, who were standing over her with open mouths and wide eyes.  "At least, he's alive… for now."  She glanced at the other two battered monsters, both of whom appeared to be breathing.

A sudden thought occurred to her and she stood up, concern crossing her face.  "Oh, no," she murmured.  "Snap, Star, come on."  She skated toward one of the larger, open sewer pipes, hoping she wasn't too late.

"What?" Snap asked, completely confused.

"There's a girl who's the leader of this gang," Blue Flame told her, her voice grim.  "She's not here, which means that whoever did… _this_… either caught her or killed her; or she's on the run somewhere, probably in here.  We should take a look around…"

*          *          *

Black Rose took a deep breath.  "Glitch?" she asked.

"What?" her shadowy companion responded, not slowing his quick pace.  They weren't yet out of the residential zone, but the sewers were in sight.

"Why'd ya let me go?"

He laughed.  "Why do you care?"

"It's just a little… odd, that's all.  I mean, it was your gang that captured me."

"'My gang.'"  Glitch laughed again, a short, sarcastic laugh that was _really_ starting to annoy Black Rose.  "The only reason I joined Bloody Murder," he continued, "was to get a chance to take care of an old debt."

Black Rose was confused, something that was happening more often that she was happy with.  "Which means what?"

"Which means that now would be a good time for you to figure out that I don't want to talk about it, no offense," Glitch answered coolly.  "When I use that tone, it means that that's a past event that I'm not happy about."

"But… you _joined_ the gang?" Black Rose prodded.  "If you've got some problem with one of the members or something, why'd ya join?"

"Well, if I wasn't part of Bloody Murder, you'd be sitting up in that house right now.  Either that, or you'd be dead."

Black Rose shuddered.  "True."  She thought a moment.  "Hey, what's with Pulse?  He seemed okay to me."

Glitch shrugged.  "I only just joined 'em this morning; I don't know.  But don't let Pulse fool you.  Did you see the glove on his left hand?"

"No, why?"

"Because it's got claws attached to it, that's why.  I didn't get a good enough look to tell if he did it himself or had someone else do it.  But those things are sharp and dangerous.  Pulse isn't as harmless as he seems, I don't think.  He carries a weapon just like the rest of the gang."  He stopped moving as well as talking, and Black Rose realized that they were ten feet from the pipe leading to the sewers.  "You ready?" he asked.

She nodded.

He sighed.  "I hate to have to say this, but I mean… well, if your gang really did come after you, and ran into Blade and the others… they're probably dead.  And if they are, I don't think you'll want to see it."

Black Rose wondered if hearts were capable of jumping.  If so, it would explain what had just happened.  "Yeah, I'm ready," she stated.  _It's not a lie if I don't know, is it?  Okay, probably it is._

The look he gave her made it clear that he didn't believe it, but he just nodded.  "Then let's go."

*          *          *

Quip swore not-so-softly to herself as she skated through 99th Street.  Quo swatted her on the arm.  "What would your brother say if he heard you talking like that?" she scolded.

Despite the unpleasant situation, Quip laughed.  "He'd probably congratulate me and say he's taught me well."  She stopped for a moment.  "Well, here's Ayame Street.  Ready?"

Quo nodded, and the two friends skated forward.

*          *          *

_I would really, really like to just die right now.  Make it fast and all that…_

_Not gonna happen._

Wax was grinning.  "To be honest," he informed Hand, "I never thought I'd get the chance to do this.  I guess I'm just luckier than I thought."  He gave Hand yet another kick, this time in the head.  Hand made a pained sound and closed his eyes, but did not move.

_What would Black Rose think of me now…?_ he wondered, wincing at the throbbing pain in his head.  _To see me get beat by her half-brother?_

Hand growled something rather unkind and forced his eyes open.  With a strength he did not realize he had, he grabbed Wax's right skate and jerked it hard.  Unable to keep his balance, the stunned boy slipped and fell, joining Hand on the ground.

Hand snatched the knife from Wax's fist and, eyes narrowing, brought it down across the younger boy's arm, slitting the sleeve from the upper arm to the cuff.  Wax yelped and tried to roll away, but Hand caught his right ankle and twisted it, causing him to cry out again.  Hand's vengeful expression did not change as he let the knife slice through the lower leg of Wax's pants into his flesh.

"I'll kill you!" Wax hissed in a strained voice, kicking unsuccessfully at Hand.  "Get off me, you sick freak!"

His words became another pained cry as his own knife again cut into his leg.  "All right!" he gasped.  "All right!  Let me go, and I'll tell you where Black Rose is, I swear!"

Hand paused, watching the blood seep through Wax's black pants.  "Liar," he decided after a moment, and pulled Wax further down toward him.

"Get away from me!" Wax screamed, trying to brace his hands against the ground.  It did no good; they only slid through the dust, leaving him staring up into Hand's green eyes.

"Where is she?!" Hand snarled, raising the knife over Wax's throat.

Wax swallowed nervously and with some difficulty.  "She's in the fortified residential zone!  We left one of our gang to guard her!  I didn't hurt her, I swear it!  Please don't hurt me!"  He had closed his eyes, waiting for Hand to strike.

The next thing he heard was a shocked grunt.  Lowering his arms, he looked up and was relieved to see Blade, twisting Hand's right arm behind his back.  Petal and Pulse stood on either side of their leader, grim expressions on their faces.

"I don't know who you are, or how you two know each other," Blade told Hand in his dangerously quiet voice, "but you'd better get away from my friend here, or people will hear you scream all the way across Tokyo."

Hand bit his lip as Blade dragged him up, still twisting his arm.  The leader of Bloody Murder took the weapon from Hand with no trouble, then glanced down at Wax, shaking his head.

"Good thing we decided to come," he remarked.  "Get up."

Wax struggled to his feet, holding his leg.  Blade nodded at his injury.  "This kid cut you or somethin'?"

Wax nodded painfully, and Blade again addressed Hand, using his other hand to grab his captive's hair and pull his head back until their eyes locked.  "Listen, kid.  Like I said, I don't know who you are, and I don't care much for Wax here.  But he's part of my gang, and now we're gonna teach ya what we do to people who mess with us."  He glanced at Wax and tossed him the pocketknife.  "You can decide what to do with him."

Catching the knife, Wax stood up straighter and stared at Hand, a sadistic smile spreading over his face.

Hand flinched as Wax's index finger lifted his bloody chin.  His nose continued to gush the red fluid, spreading it further down his shirt.  Blade pinned Hand's arms back, holding him as Wax laughed and took a step backward, then punched Hand in the stomach.  Hand's body jerked forward and he groaned.  Wax hit him again, harder this time, leaving Hand choking as blood flooded from his mouth.

At a nod from Wax, Blade let Hand fall to the ground.  Wax grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him up, pulling him toward the nearby abandoned house.  He smashed Hand's upper body into it face-first, bouncing him back a good two feet.  Again Hand's face collided with the building, a slight indent left in the wall from the impact.

"What do ya think you're doin'?!"

Wax let Hand collapse to the ground, unconscious.  He looked up just as two girls jumped down from the rooftop above him.

Blade's knife seemed to materialize in his left hand as two more girls landed near him, then three more surrounded Pulse and Petal.  Petal drew her gun and backed up until she bumped into Blade, who pushed her away.  Pulse's body tensed, but otherwise he made no move.

The four present members of Bloody Murder looked the new girls over.  Each one was dressed identically, in white tank tops with daisies on them and pink capris.

"So you're the Prissy Girls," Blade greeted them, grinning.  "I've heard of you."

"How flattering," the leader replied sarcastically.  "Who are you?"

The grin never left Blade's face.  "We," he answered, his voice strangely calm, "are Bloody Murder."

The leader's blue eyes narrowed.  "And who are you, yourself?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.  "Blade."

"Well, Blade, you have precisely thirty seconds to get outta my turf," she told him.  "And leave that kid there," she added, nodding at Hand.

Blade glanced at Wax.  "All right," he agreed, astonishing his three underlings.  "Let's go, guys."  And with that, he skated off toward the Shibuya Terminal, followed by a very confused Petal and Pulse.  After giving Hand one last sharp kick with his better leg, Wax reluctantly obeyed as well.

"I'll find you again, Hand," he muttered as he skated after the rest of his gang.  "And when I do, I'll finish what I started."

*          *          *

"What the…?  Spark, what's wrong?"

Spark had stopped so suddenly that Speed almost ran into her.

"Listen, there's someone here.  It sounds like they're just inside Bottom Point."

Speed listened, then took off so quickly through the pipe leading to Bottom Point that Spark had to skate hard to catch up with him.  "I heard," he said.  "And—oh, man."

Spark halted next to him, staring down at the three bloody members of Poison Jam.  "Oh, _man_," she echoed.

An alarmed sound came from down a nearby pipe.  Speed looked up.

"These guys'll have to wait," he decided, skating toward the noise.  "Whoever's in here, they're in trouble…"


	11. A Bunch of People Are Gonna Need Therapy

(A/N: To Tallulah: Love?  You mean in that chapter?  It's really hard to find, and it's kinda too messed-up to actually be _love_, and you can't tell till you've read this chapter, and I think I'll just shut up because I'm not making sense…)

Gum looked up at the sound of skates.  "Find anything?"

"Nothing."  Garam shook his head dejectedly.  "Nothing at all."

Mew sighed and collapsed onto the couch next to Gum.  A few feet away, the other couch was empty.  Tab's spot.

"Where are they?"  Gum rested her face in her hands.  "They've gotta be somewhere!"

Garam gazed at the floor.  Mew didn't say anything, but she looked ready to cry.

Standing, Gum paced back and forth.  "Where're Beat and Combo?"

"Beat went through Dogenzaka," Garam informed her.  "Combo's checking the Terminal."  He nodded at Mew.  "We just looked in 99th Street."

Gum kicked at nothing, almost losing her balance.  "And I just went through Rokkaku-Dai!  How is it possible?!"

Garam shrugged.  "They're most likely in the Rokkaku-Dai area.  Maybe we should see if we can find the PGs."

"No!  We're not talking to any PGs!"  Gum took a deep breath.  "We _have_ to find them!"

"Gum," Mew said in her quiet voice, "we need to stay calm."

The brown-haired girl sighed and let herself fall back down to the couch, dropping her face into her hands.  "I know.  But they're two of my best friends… _where are they_?"

Garam patted her on the shoulder, something she would never let him do under normal circumstances.  "Come on, Gum.  They'll show up."

Mew tried to look cheerful.  "It's only been, what, two days since Yoyo left?"

"And three more since Tab went missing," Gum reminded her.  "Five days, guys.  Five days Tab's been gone.  He's our _leader_!"

A new voice chuckled.  "Not a very good one, apparently."

Gum's hands drew into fists and she glared at the boy who had come in while the three were talking.  "And I suppose you think you'd make a better one, Beat."

He snorted.  "Exactly.  So I take it you guys haven't seen 'em?"

Gum turned her back on him.  Garam said nothing, just sat on the couch next to Mew.

"Yo!"  Combo skated over to the group, looking grim.  "No trace of them in the Terminal.  I say they probably went through the sewers.  Or tried."

"Yeah."  Mew nodded.  "Yoyo said he thought Tab tried to go through."

Garam looked thoughtful.  "Well, the obvious question is, are we still gonna go look for 'em?  There are more gangs through the sewers, ya know… they might be even more dangerous than Poison Jam."  He bit his lower lip, then added, "I'm goin'."

"I'm obviously coming too," Gum agreed.  "Mew, Combo, Beat?"

The blue-haired girl nodded, as did Combo.  Beat sighed.  "You guys are lost without me.  I'm in."

Gum seemed to soften a bit toward him.  "All right, then let's go.  We'd better stick together.  Tab and Yoyo each went alone, and whatever happened to them, I don't think we want to share that fate…"

*          *          *

(A/N:  These characters here are Nellie's, not mine, and that's pretty much the only reason they're here ^_^.  They won't appear again, so don't bother remembering their names for this story.)

The brown-haired, pink-clad girl stood up, tossing her pigtails over her shoulders.  "Is he gonna wake up or what?"

"Like, give him some time, Candi," a young blonde reprimanded.  Her outfit was identical to the other's, as well as that of every one of the Prissy Girls: pink capris and a white tank top with a daisy on the front.  She glanced down at Hand.  "He looks like he took some pretty hard hits.  Maybe he's got a concussion."

"Totally, Lucki," a third girl agreed.  "That guy was, like, _smashing_ him!"

"Quiet," a girl with bleached-blonde pigtail-braids snapped.  "He's waking up."

Hand opened his eyes, then closed them as if doing so could make the sight cease to exist.  A string of slurred expletives came from his lips.

"That's not very polite," Candi scolded him.  "And you should be polite, considering the position you're in."

Hand's eyes remained shut.  "What do ya want with me?"  _Please don't say you're gonna give me a makeover or beat me up or toss me in the water or any of that stuff Snap mentioned… please, not now…_

"Well," Candi began, "we could start with you tellin' us what just happened, and who ya were fighting with."

"Wax."

The PGs exchanged glances.  The name did not appear to be familiar with any of them.  "Who's Wax?" asked a brown-haired girl named Panzi.

Hand gave up trying to think of a plausible lie.  "My girlfriend's half-brother."

His audience tittered.  "Oh," Candi giggled.  "I get it."

"It's not hard to get," Hand muttered.  At last he opened his eyes, looking into the inquisitive faces of the PGs.

There were seven of them, all wearing the exact same outfit.  Each was recognizable mostly by the color and style of their hair.  Candi, the brown-pigtailed leader, addressed Hand.  "So, then, the main question: why did you and… Wax… pick Rokkaku-Dai as your fighting arena?"

"I met him here," Hand explained.  "When I was…"  His voice trailed off.  "Oh, no… Blue Flame and the others…"  He looked up at Candi, hoping she could see the urgency in his eyes… _or, I don't know, something like that._  "Please, you've gotta let me go.  I have to make sure my friends are okay."

Candi stared at him for a moment, then reached down.  Hand blinked, trying to push his suspicions away, before taking the hand she offered and pulling himself up with a soft groan.

"Does this mean I can go?" he asked.

She smiled.  "And don't show your face here again.  I'm sure you've heard what we do to the guys we catch.  This is a warning, I guess."

Hand smiled back at her.  "Thanks."  

"Ya sure you'll be okay?"

He forced a laugh as he skated off, one hand pressed against the gash on his chest.  "It'll take more than Wax to get me down and out…"

The PGs watched him go, then Candi turned to her fellow gang members.  "Come on, girls.  I got the feeling something big's goin' on, something we don't want to be a part of.  I think we'd better lay low for awhile; hope this all blows over…"

*          *          *

Cube's muscles were no longer responding to her frantic orders.  Her skates slid along the half-pipe, then stopped as she collapsed to her knees, drenched in sweat from her long but useless dash.  She could hear the boy behind her, getting closer…

"Cube?"

Looking up, Cube's mouth opened as if she intended to speak, but it was a moment before anything came out.  "B-blue Flame? What are you… doing…?"

Blue Flame skated over to Poison Jam's leader.  Snap and Star hung back, confused as usual.  Star kept glancing behind them, afraid the strange gang would be back.

"What happened to you?!" Blue Flame asked.  Cube's skin was sweaty and slippery under her fingers as she tried to get the breathless girl upright.

Cube was about to answer when the sound of skates reached Blue Flame's ears.  "Who…?  Cube?"

A boy skated into view, sliding to a halt when he saw Blue Flame.  He grinned and wiped sweat from his forehead, and Blue Flame realized that he had been chasing her unfortunate friend.  "Who are you?" she demanded, skating in front of Cube.

"I could ask you the same thing, and I will," the boy replied.  "My name's Ellipse.  So who're you, and what do ya want?  And why didn't my brother take care of you?"

_So that's who those people were,_ Blue Flame mused, but she didn't have time to linger on the thought.  Keeping her eyes on Ellipse, she moved backward, making sure Cube stayed behind her.  "Get out," she said, her voice not nearly as strong as she intended it to be.  "Get out of Bottom Point.  I don't know what you're doing here, or who you are, but—"

Ellipse's hand slipped into the pocket of his jeans, then reappeared holding a small handgun, which he aimed at Blue Flame.  "No, I think the _three_ of you should be leaving."

Blue Flame didn't know much about guns, but Ellipse obviously knew what he was doing.  She glanced behind her.  Star was keeping Cube standing; Snap was backing away.  "All right, the _three_ of us'll go," she agreed, "but we're takin' her with us."

He grinned and shook his head.  "I don't think so."  He motioned with the gun toward an exit.  "Ya got twenty seconds to be outta my sight.  Twenty… nineteen…"

Blue Flame stared at him, then turned and moved toward Cube.

"Eighteen… seventeen… six—"

He did not finish the word.  Blue Flame looked back just in time to see Ellipse stagger forward and drop the gun.  A vaguely familiar boy stood behind him, holding a twisted mass of metal that had been an empty spray can.

Speed glared down at Ellipse, who was rubbing the back of his head.  Ellipse reached for his gun, but Speed kicked it toward Blue Flame.  The blue-clad Romantic Energy snatched it up and skated backward, watching the two carefully.

Ellipse winced as he stood, his gaze meeting Speed's.  "Speed?  What're you doing here?"

Speed's amber eyes widened when he recognized the boy in front of him.  "Stride?"

Ellipse answered with a grin.  "Actually, it's Ellipse now…  I changed my name when Slow changed his."  He laughed and swung a fist into Speed's chest.  Speed stumbled back as though hurt, but he caught Ellipse's next punch and jerked hard, pulling him forward.

"What did you think you were doing?" Speed demanded.  He gave Ellipse less than a second to answer before he smashed the battered paint can into the boy's nose, sending him to the ground.  Again the metallic mess made contact with Ellipse's head, and he rolled onto his back as blood formed a small puddle at the bottom of the half-pipe.

Blue Flame fumbled with the gun, then held it straight up.  Squeezing her eyes shut and hoping she wouldn't hurt anyone, she pulled the trigger.

Speed froze, then stared at Blue Flame.  "Dude, girl, you don't have the _faintest_ clue what you're doing, do ya?"

Spark had skated up to Blue Flame, and she held her hand out.  Blue Flame hesitated only a moment before giving up the gun.  Spark raised it and aimed it at Ellipse, who was trying to stand.  "Don't move," she commanded.

Ellipse obeyed for the most part, but raised a hand to his forehead, groaning.  He tossed a hateful look at Speed, who skated backward a few feet, watching his sister.

"Stride, or Ellipse, or whatever," Spark addressed the member of Bloody Murder, "you have the rest of those twenty seconds to get out of here.  I believe you were at sixteen."  She smiled and motioned with the gun.  "Fifteen… fourteen… thirteen… twelve… eleven…"

Ellipse fled, slowing as he passed Cube and the three Romantic Energies, but moving on until he was out of Bottom Point.

Spark turned to Cube and Blue Flame.  "What happened?"  Her eyes grew wide as she saw Cube.  "Is she okay?"

Speed had already skated up to Cube and was helping her stand, as Star was having trouble.  Cube took one look at him and, with a spirit she should not have had at that moment, punched him in the stomach.

Speed took a step back, looking offended but unhurt.  Had Cube been in her normal state of health, she probably would have at least knocked him down. "That wasn't nice," he said mildly.

Cube was glaring at him.  "You… you were that kid," she growled.  "In Kibogaoka."  Her gaze moved to Spark.  "And you…"

"Yes, me," Spark confirmed.  "What happened?"

Blue Flame stepped in.  "That kid… Ellipse… was chasing Cube, I guess.  But if I may ask, who are you guys?"

Speed was staring at her.  "Blue Flame, wasn't it?"

"Y-yes," she replied, recalling then where she had seen him before.  "And you're… Speed?"

He seemed as surprised as she was that they remembered each other's names.  "Yeah.  This's my sister Spark."

"We're part of the gang Dark Storm," Spark interjected.  "Who are you guys?  And Speed, how do you know her?"

Blue Flame sighed.  "We're the Romantic Energies." 

"They saved me from the Love Shockers," Speed explained.  "When I was in Hikage Street.  I, uh, hadn't gotten around to telling you."  His attention returned to Blue Flame.  "Where're the other two?  Black Rose and Hand, or something like that."

Blue Flame looked at the ground.  "I don't know where Black Rose is.  Hand is…"  Her head jerked up, a frightened expression on her face.  "Oh, no… Hand!  We left him in Rokkaku-Dai with—"

"Uh, guys," Star called.  The three turned to her to see that Cube had lost consciousness, and her dead weight was difficult for Star to hold.

With little effort Speed picked Cube up, heaving her over one shoulder in a casual manner that, had she been awake, would probably have cost him his life.  "We should take her back to Kibogaoka," he decided.

Spark nodded.  "We'll have to tell Tip and Cat about all this, too," she noted.

"Wh-who?"  Blue Flame was confused.  "What?"

Spark and Speed glanced at each other.  "I'll go with you," Spark told Blue Flame.  "Speed can take Cube to Kibogaoka."

Speed opened his mouth to protest, but an apparently meaningful stare from his younger sister made him shut it and nod, then skate off toward the Tokyo Underground and Kibogaoka Hill.

Spark turned to Blue Flame, Snap and Star.  "So…"  She fell silent as she realized that she had nothing to say; her undeveloped leadership skills were failing her.  "Um… let's go…"

*          *          *

Quip shuddered.  "I think it's safe to say we've found 'em."  She held up one finger, smeared with a mixture of red and black paint.  "This must've been like a minute ago."

Quo made a face at the giant graffiti near her.  "This is nasty.  I never liked drawings of dead people… or dying ones…"  There was a pause.  "Quip?"

Her friend turned, concerned at the frightened tone to Quo's voice.  "What?"

Quo pointed at another graffiti tag, one of the larger ones.  "That… that girl looks like you…"

"Oh…"  Quip stared at the wall, her mouth falling open.  "Oh…"

It was her.  Same long black hair with the single white streak that formed her half-ponytail.  Same black eyes.  Same short-sleeved white shirt with the dark grey 'Q' on it, only it was torn up at the top; the picture cut off before one could see if the bottom was as well.

And wearing an expression of terror that she could have only worn once.  Only that one night, five years ago, that night when he had caught her alone… alone in that abandoned house at the end of Ayame's busy street, alone in the dark, and… _oh… not again…_

There were tiny, crooked white letters along the side of the painting: _Takin' it Slow_.

_Slow…_  She closed her eyes and shivered.  _Oh, please don't let him be back…  Glitch said he was, but I was _sure_ he was wrong… he can't be back, no, it's a mistake…_

"Quip?  Are you…?"

"It's a mistake."  Quo's voice was louder than it should have been, attempting to cover up whatever emotion was buried inside.  "It's a mistake.  Let's go.  There might be people here we need to help."

"Are you _sure_ you're—"

Quip swallowed hard.  "Quo, why don't we split up?  You go around to the right, and I'll go around to the left.  Okay?"  _I can't handle her questions, not now.  I can't tell her…_

Quo bit her lip.  "Quip, with Bloody Murder somewhere in the area, it'd be best—"

"Quo, _please_!"  The urgency in her voice couldn't be missed.

There was silence, then a soft whisper: "Okay.  Be careful."

Quip dashed off to the left, desperate to get away.  Even she wasn't sure what she was fleeing from, but whatever it was, it was terrifying.

She had to get away…

*          *          *

Blade grinned and poked Ellipse, motioning with his head at something behind them.  "Looks like some fun."

Ellipse continued with his painting; the words made him feel sick.  _Fun_ to Blade meant girls, hurting people, and vandalism, in that order.  He could only hope it was the third option.

It wasn't.  "Those kids are here, the ones Professor K's always babbling about on Jet Set Radio.  The GGs."

"Blade, please, let's just go… they'll have enough trouble covering up all this graffiti.  You don't need to—"

"Of course I don't need to.  I want to.  Besides, they're asking for it anyway…"

A brief conversation between Pulse and a brown-haired girl with a helmet ended with Pulse on the ground, followed by his attacker.  A few feet away, Petal was cat-fighting with a girl in blue.  Wax hit the wall hard and fell, courtesy of a big, dark-skinned boy.

"It's already started," Blade pointed out.  "Let's go before they kill our little friends.  We've already seen how well they can defend themselves."

Ellipse forced the voice in his head to be silent.  "All right…"

"On second thought, you go…"

_He's refusing one of his types of fun.  Which can only mean there's one he likes better.  Which means…_

A girl hurried past them, long hair flying.  Blade tossed a grin at his brother, then took off after her.

_Wait a second… that girl… nah, couldn't be._  Ellipse blinked.  _I'm hallucinating.  It can't be…_

He watched as Pulse sent a smaller boy to the concrete, blood staining his bright yellow shirt.  The noise of a shot hung in the air, and another boy stumbled back, holding one arm.

_They're fine. But that girl… could she…?_

_There's one way I know of to find out._

Those thoughts sticking in his mind, Ellipse skated after his brother.

*          *          *

Blue Flame shook her head to herself as she skated after Spark.  _What am I doing, following someone I don't even know?_ she wondered.  _For that matter, what was I doing leaving Hand alone with Wax?_

"Hey!"

Spark and the three Romantic Energies froze.  The voice was female, though not high-pitched, and familiar to three of the four skaters.

"Black Rose!"  Blue Flame turned and dashed in the opposite direction

"Blue Flame, wait!" Snap cried, following her.

Spark stared after them, then glanced at Star.  Both girls shrugged and went after the others.

Blue Flame had her arms wrapped around her gang's leader.  "Black Rose!  I was _worried_ about you!"  She pulled away, looking embarrassed at her own reaction.  "What did Wax want?  Did he hurt you?  Are you okay?  What happened?  Who's your friend?"

Black Rose looked somewhat hysterical.  Spark's gaze, however, was attracted to the black-clad girl's companion: a tall, pale-skinned boy dressed in dark grey.  His eyes were blocked by sunglasses, but he looked pleased at the turn of events.  Spark swallowed.  _How did my mouth get so dry?_

"This's Glitch…"  Black Rose was more concerned with the one member still missing from her gang.  "Hand… where is he?  Why isn't he with you?"

Blue Flame's relieved expression died, its successor one of fear.  "He's in Rokkaku-Dai.  Wax was there, and he—"

"Wax?  _Hand?!_  _No!_  Where are they?  What—"

A loud clatter of metal against the sewer wall silenced the two girls.  Spark was glaring at them; her now-misshapen spray can lying on the ground near the wall.  "Shut… up.  You are being so… so _cliché_.  Stop it.  If you want to find your friend, shut up and let's move!"  And with those words, she did a 180 and skated toward Rokkaku-Dai.

Star was first after her, Black Rose and Blue Flame a few feet behind.  Glitch was just after Black Rose, but he was faster than either of the girls and was ahead of them within seconds.

"Guys!  Wait for me!" Snap hurried after them.

"Black Rose…?"

All six skaters froze, then Black Rose shoved past those in her way so she could see better.  "Hand?"

A dark form stumbled out of the pipe.  Black Rose gasped.  "Hand!  What…?"

"What do you think?"  He stopped in front of her, one arm crossed over his chest.  His shirt displayed a large patch of brown, the blood having mixed with the original green.

Black Rose made a move forward as if to embrace him, then thought better of it.  "How did you… get away…?"

Crimson spread over Hand's cheeks, adding to the much less pleasant color of blood.  "The PGs saved me," he answered, cutting the words off so as to not think on them too long.  "Wax and his gang… went on to Ayame.  I doubt… it'll take 'em long to…"  He blinked several times, staggered forward, and fell.  Black Rose caught him and managed to keep him upright.

Glitch skated over to the two, helping Black Rose hold her boyfriend up as he spoke for the first time since entering the sewers.  "We'd better stay here awhile…"

Spark nodded, glad that she wasn't in charge anymore.  "My gang should be here soon.  From Kibogaoka."

Glitch shot her a look.  "Really.  How many?"

"Two other than me."  _No…that's not right… you forgot your brother!_  "I mean, three."

"Good."  He looked her up and down.  "Wait a minute… you're… her…"

Taking a nervous step back, Spark stared at him.  "_'Her'_?"  The title did not sound like one she desired.

"The girl Blade's after.  One of them, that is.  Spark, right?"

Her head moved up, then down of its own accord.  "B-blade?  Who…"  Her voice failed.  _You know who.  Stride—Ellipse—said it: "I changed my name when Slow changed his."  If someone named 'Blade' is after me, he can only be…_

"You probably know him as Slow."  Glitch's voice sounded too hollow, too distant as it bounced off the sewer walls.

_No.  It's not true._  Spark took another step back, then another.  There was something cool against her back.  "I… I think I'll wait here… for my gang…"

"I'd say that's a good idea."

"Well, I'm not sticking around here!  Hand is hurt!"  Black Rose sounded near tears.

Glitch turned to her.  "I'll go with you and your gang to the hospital in Ayame.  Spark, you wait for your gang here, then wait for us to get back or for Bloody Murder to come.  Hopefully you guys can handle them okay."  _Of course they can't.  What are you doing?_  "Can ya do that?"  _…It's this girl… she's… strange.  I have to get away from her…_

Spark was glaring at him.  "I'm not a little child," she snapped.  "Of course I can."  _One question: who's Bloody Murder?_

He shrugged.  "Whatever.  Let's go, guys…"  _Let's get outta here… away from her…_

Spark turned in the direction of Kibogaoka Hill to wait as the others skated off.  A hand rested on her shoulder and there was a soft male voice in her ear: Glitch.  "You may not be a little child," he whispered as the Romantic Energies exited the sewers, "but if Blade gets his hands on you, you'll wish you were anything but the pretty girl you are."

Then his touch was gone and it was silent in the sewers.

*          *          *

Tip and Tab were still talking when Cat came grinding in, Yoyo close behind her.  Tip looked up and grinned; Tab looked up and erupted into hysterical laughter.

"Yoyo," he tried to say, "you've got… you…"  He began to laugh even harder.

"Yoyo," Tip said as calmly as she could, "I believe Tab is trying to inform you that you have black lipstick on your cheek."

Yoyo brushed at his cheek with the back of a half-gloved hand and grinned sheepishly, his face reddening.  Cat's face was redder, but she also was smiling.

"Your point would be?" Yoyo asked.

Tip giggled.  "Nothing at all."

Tab composed himself somewhat.  "So, uh, where are Spark and Speed?"  He took another look at Yoyo and Cat and broke once more into audible mirth.

"They weren't where I last saw them," Cat answered over the noise, speaking more to Tip than to Tab.  "Have you seen 'em?"

Tip shook her head, ignoring Tab.  "No… that's odd.  Spark usually comes back here around now, then goes out tagging."

"Maybe she and Speed went somewhere."

"I don't think so.  Don't you think Spark's been kinda… you know… quiet?"

Cat frowned.  "She's always quiet."

Tab choked down his snickering.  "Um, yeah.  So where—"

"Tip!"

The four teenagers looked up at the ladder.  A dark figure dropped down from the rooftop above, a girl in his arms.

"Speed, what—Cube?!"  Tip skated forward and stared at Poison Jam's fallen leader.  "What happened?  Speed?"

Speed was breathing hard.  "Spark—Poison Jam—Slow…"  He shook his head and started over.  "Poison Jam was attacked.  With weapons."

Tip paled.  "Weapons?  You're kidding, right?  You mean, like… by kids?  Not the police?"

Speed shook his head.  "No police.  A gang.  I left Spark with the Romantic Energies.  I can explain everything on the way.  Look, can we get Cube down somewhere?  She's not exactly all that light."

"So I'm easier to carry than she is?" Tab asked.

Tip laughed in spite of the situation.  "You weigh like twenty pounds."

"Thanks.  I feel real special."

"Whatever.  Let's go, guys."

Tab started to sit up, but was halted when Tip demanded, "What are you doing?"

He gave her a quizzical look.  "Coming with you."

"I don't think so.  You're still hurt, remember?  A lot of help you'll be if it comes down to fighting."

Tab's eyes narrowed.  "I can handle it.  I'll be fine."

Tip sighed.  "Tab, look, I just don't want you to hurt yourself, okay?  It'll be better for you to stay here."

He stared at her for a moment.  "No.  I'm not letting you… and your gang… go out there without me.  You saved my life.  If any of you got hurt, I'd never forgive myself."

Cat rolled her eyes.  "Come on, Tip, let him come.  He won't be a problem, and he's not necessarily any safer here.  Besides, Cube can stay on the couch."

"Fine," Tip conceded, heaving another sigh.  "Let's see how well you can stand.  And skate."  She took Tab's arm and helped him to his feet.

He grinned and stretched.  "Hey, that's not too bad."  He found his skates and put them on.  "Okay, I'm ready."

Speed laid Cube on the couch.  "Okay, we'd better go…"

"I hope this isn't a mistake," Tip muttered.  "All right, guys, let's go see about this gang… and about Spark…"


End file.
